


Doesn't Fall Far (Under construction)

by JotunPrincess



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Family, Memory Loss, Teenagers, kidnap
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-05
Updated: 2016-01-05
Packaged: 2017-11-14 16:33:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 24
Words: 46,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/517341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JotunPrincess/pseuds/JotunPrincess
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dave is known as a ladies man with three failed marriages and a rumor he left the second for Strauss. But you have to wonder with all these girl friends and exs did anything ever come of it?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. I have a what?

**Author's Note:**

> This entire work is under construction as I don't have backups of the chapters so I am editing it from the site and updating it from here.

David Rossi was a man with confidence, a good sense of humor and decent personality when you got to know him. Sometimes to his own fault he was a Casanova, which led to him having three wives and no children. He had always wanted them but never got around to planning any with any of his wives. Being a father would have been the greatest highlight of his life. A little boy or girl calling him Daddy. Then being able to watch that child grow up. Teaching them how to ride a bike, read and write and such.

But Dave had three failed marriages and wasn't seeing anyone at the moment. He was now in his fifties and running around chasing criminals in his so-called golden years with his teammates. He worked for the BAU, behavior analyst unit, but had taken an early retirement and started writing. He was now a published author and didn't mind it. His team had just gotten back from a case in Indiana and were now filling out the paperwork that was slowly collecting on their desk.

A knock on his door sounded causing him to look up from his own work. Dave set his glasses down and got up to answer the door. "Are you David Rossi?" The man asked.

"Depends."

"Perhaps we should step inside your office." The man moved aside for the younger to come in. He was wearing a suit and looked a bit tired. "My name is Gavin Blake and assuming you are David Rossi do you remember a woman named Teresa Anderson?"

"Yes."

"Mr. Rossi you had a child with that woman. Please don't look at me like that but everything is in this letter. I will wait while you read it." Blake handed him the letter. Rossi took his glasses again and set to reading the letter.

Dear David,

Hello David. I know I didn't say much when I left. You deserve more than just a letter to tell you that you have a child. I know this is a surprise to you and I'm sorry. I should have told you but with your job I didn't want to tie you down with a child you might not have wanted. But now that you know you have a child then you can also know that if this letter has reached you, I'm dead. I've been battling cancer for years and at the time that we met it was in remission. After she was born I had a few good years, until it came back again. It was finally found that it was terminal. I would have sent her to you sooner but she refused to be away from me. 

You can keep her or she can go into the system. If you don't believe she's yours then get a DNA test. But I know she's yours and you will see it too. 

Her Name is Stella Odette Rossi. Yes that's right you have a daughter. She's sixteen. Born October 27. If you do the math and the time I left you it all adds up. You always said you had such a great memory well think about it. The dates match up perfectly. I found out I was pregnant two weeks after my mother got into an accident. She's smart and just like you in so many ways. She's stubborn and has that same smile you do. The one where you're relaxed and satisfied about something. She's wanted to know you her entire life and now I giving her that wish and you this knowledge of a child. Remember you always said you wanted children.

I was going to tell you but when you ran off for a case I couldn't pin you to that.

Take care of her Dave. She's loves music but has a secret passion for your work. You'll soon realize how much like you she can really be. My lawyer will be in touch with you soon. 

Yours

Resa

"I have a kid?" Dave looked at Blake. "Yes and if you want I will gladly accompany you to a DNA test to help you prove it." Blake told him. "Where is she?" Rossi asked. "Outside waiting in my car. We drove here all the way from Boston." Blake told him. Dave nodded and stepped out of his office. "Wait for a moment please."

Dave walked into Hotch's office for a moment then back out and motioned for Blake to follow him. The two left the building and walked to Blake's car. There sat a teenage girl with her hair pulled back into a ponytail. She didn't look any happier than any other child who would have just lost the only parent they've known their entire life.

"Stella, come on out." Blake said knocking on the window. Stella opened the door, closing it behind her. She walked over to us and stood by the trunk of the car. "He's not going to bite you." Blake told her. Stella seemed to be sizing Dave up. Picking him apart piece by piece, every little detail. She didn't say anything. Dave looked her over. Her hair ends were streaked with purple and red. She was built like Resa but was a complete female version of the profiler aside from her light brown eyes. They belonged to her mother.

There was no denying she looked like him. Part of him wanted to solely believe she was his, but the other part of him wanted to be logical about it and still have a DNA test done. Remembering Resa that woman never lied to him. "I'll take her." he said. 

"Well I've leave you to it. Bye kiddo take care of yourself." Blake helped Stella get her things out of the trunk and back seat. She had everything she was able to keep with her. Mostly things from her room and a few things of her mother's. "Come on." Rossi took the gym bag and walked Stella across the lot to his own car to get everything in there before heading into the building. "So this is where you get to work?" Stella asked. "Yup. Come on." Taking the elevator up they got off on the fourth floor.

Rossi didn't say anything as he walked through the bullpen and to his office with Stella following behind him. The door closed and Morgan looked to Reid. "Did you just see what I did?"

"Huh?" Reid asked him. The doctor's head having been down going over his reports. Rossi walked out of his office and went to see Hotch again.

"Dave, are you alright?" Hotch asked as the man closed the door. "I have a kid."

"What?"

"I have a kid. A child. Offspring. Kin." He said. "Wait a minute since when?" Hotch asked. "To my knowledge for the past twenty minutes. Remember the woman I told you was going to be wife number two and the last wife? She had a child and left me because of that child. She didn't want to pin it on me with my constant traveling." Dave said. "Well what are you going to do? Are you sure the kid is yours?" Hotch asked. "Sure? She looks like me. Hotch she looks like me so much it's not even funny, she looks like her mother too." Dave watched the man.

"She? So you have a daughter. Wait where is she?" Hotch asked. "In my office."

"No she's not. She's talking to Emily and Morgan." Hotch could see through his office door. The girl did look like Dave. A younger female version of him. "Stella I told you to stay in my office." Dave stepped out of Hotch's office and walked over to her. "I had to use the bathroom. Only been holding it since Maryland." She grumbled.

"Oh my god."

"They look so alike." Emily said looking between the two. "Everyone this is Stella, my daughter." Dave told them. So old man Rossi had a kid and more importantly that kid was a girl. "Stella I want you to meet Emily, Morgan, JJ, Reid and Hotch." Dave introduced them. "Where is she?" Garcia walked into the bullpen. "Awe she's so cute. She's a mini Dave." Garcia said in her usual bubbly way. "That's Garcia."

Stella backed up from the overly happy woman.

"For me to be a mini Dave I would have to be a boy. Last time I checked I wasn't." Rossi knew the only reason she was in the mood she was was because of the current circumstances, but that was still no reason to take it out on others. 

"She even sounds like you." Hotch said. "Stella go get your stuff." Dave told her. "Take the rest of the week to get to know her. You've got quiet a bit of catching up to do." Hotch told him. "Ready." Stella held her bag. "I'll be seeing you by next Monday. Call if you need anything." Dave and Stella left and walked to Dave's car. "So how did you and my mother meet?" Stella asked. "She never told you?"

"No. When Mom finally got comfortable about even talking about you she would say we met in a hospital and then would start talking about things to two did together. Like picnics and walks on the beach. She said you were a total Casanova and she loved every second of it." Stella said.

"Well first, I'm going to need for you to drop the attitude. I know we just met, I know you just lost your mother but we can only make this work if you want it to." David explained.

Stella turned her gaze to look out the window.

"Well it's true we did meet in a hospital. I was there with a Friend of mine he had done something stupid and got himself hurt. I was in the lunchroom when your mother walked in. If you had seen it looked like the whole room was full and there was nowhere to sit. I saw her looking around and flagged her over. It went from there. I asked her out when went on a date, one turned into two and two turned into three. I was happy with your mother, I thought she was okay with the constant moving around. She was something else she was." Rossi smiled fondly. 

"Mom always said you were the greatest thing that ever happened to her. She was happy with you and didn't mind you traveling, she said she knew that you would come back to her. She could live with you traveling." Stella told him. "Why was I the greatest thing that happened to her?"

"Because she got me. Mom said she was always proud of me and would always love me. Last year they told her they couldn't cure her cancer." "I wish I had been there." "Why, so you could have watched her die too?" Rossi pulled over on the side of the road. "So I could have been there for her and you. When I knew your mother I loved her very much. I wanted to marry her. Had I had that chance, we wouldn't be here right now. Look, I get it, you're angry. The only parent you ever knew is gone and now you're stuck with me." He said. "But I can only help you if you let me. I can only be a parent to you if you let me and throwing your anger at me for something neither of us had control over isn't going to change anything." Stella sighed, and settled. "Fine." 

Dave started the car again and before long they pulled into the driveway of his house. "Wow. Guess book sales are good." Stella told him. "You know I write?"

"Know. I've read your books. I have a friend his older brother had read your book and noticed the last names and showed it to me. I thought it was pretty cool." Stella smiled. "Well come on so I can show you around." Dave said opening the door. Mudgie came running from wherever he had been hiding or sleeping.

Dave grabbed the eager dog by it's collar and held him in place. "This is Mudgie. I hope you're not afraid of dogs." Dave said. "Never I've always wanted one. Come here boy." she put out her hand allowing Mudgie to get her scent and then wagged his tail. "Looks like your accepted. Come on I'll show you your room and we'll get you settled." Dave told her. Stella smiled and followed after him, he was glad to see that she was cracking her first smile since getting here. Probably her first one in days.


	2. Settling In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (Revised)

Dave led Stella up stairs. "This is my room. That's the guest room and there are two more down stairs and an office. Here's the bathroom. There's another downstairs. You wanna see the other two rooms before you pick?" Dave asked as he saw Stella tossing her stuff onto the queen sized bed. "I'll let you get settled in." Dave said leaving Stella to her own devices.

Stella settled in and was in some ways happy, she finally had a dad. But she still would miss everyone else.

"Hotch I have no clue how to be a parent." Dave called the only other single parent he knew. Hotch. Since his wife's death Hotch had come to some terms and was learning how to be a single parent while still being there for his son. "Well talk to her get to know her and for god sakes do not profile the kid. By the way it seems she picked up every Rossi gene you were offering. She's gonna pick up on it you try Dave." Hotch said.

"Not helping Aaron. She just lost her mother, she's angry at the world right now." Dave said. "Alright, alright. Get to know her. Just talk to her, ask her what she likes, how her schooling is going and stuff like that. I always ask Jack how school is going, start from there and your set. If not try something else." Hotch told him. "What am I going to do? She's a teenager. I can't start small here and say how about we go to a game?" Dave said. "Boys are easier." "Well you got her at sixteen so the hard oart for a girl is over." Hotch replied. "No it's not. She's going to want to bring home a boyfriend at some point." 

"Try music. She's plays an instrument." Dave heard something being moved around upstairs. "Thanks I gotta go." Dave trotted up the stairs to see Stella had moved the bed to one side of the room and the dresser to the other wall. "Hope this is cool with you if not I can move it back." Stella said as she straightened up from moving the bed. "No. But if you could have just called I would have helped you." He said. "I'll remember that." Stella was use to doing things on her own now. With her mother in and out of the hospital for treatments, she could cook and look after herself by the age of thirteen. 

Stella's stomach growled with hunger. She and Blake had stopped in a diner but that had been at seven that morning in New Jersey. It was after 2 in the afternoon. "How about we order a Pizza. Mushrooms and peppers sound good?" Dave asked. "Throw in some onions and black olives and we're in business." "Yup your definitely my kid." Dave smiled.

Stella followed her father down stairs and looked around the house. "Alright I got a large should be here in about half an hour." Dave said. "So what do I call you?" Stella asked. "Well I guess you can call me Dave until you feel like calling me dad of you want." He said. Stella nodded. "So what are you into?" Dave asked Stella. "Music. I was in a band with my three friends but since I had to move we'll be breaking that up sort of." Stella told him.

"Sorry. What was your favorite subject in school?"

"I didn't have on. I just know I hated math. It's so confusing. Math and English don't mix. You don't put letters in with numbers. My friends put the number in their writing I write the word out for the number. That's how far I go." Stella said. "But do you pass it?" Dave asked. "Yeah I pass it. Just don't expect an A from me in that subject. Everything else I'm good at. I was taking a language class and learning Italian last year, we went on a trip to Italy. Stayed for two weeks. It was so much fun." Stella smiled. "I always wanted to go and mom had always said we'd go on at least one trip out of the country. She told me, it was terminal after we got back.

The doorbell rang. "Le pizza e qui." Dave got up and went to get the pizza. "What will you have to drink?" Stella asked as Dave set the pizza on the table. "I'll take the tea." Rossi told her. "You have like no food." Stella said looking at the take out boxes. "Because I live alone and I travel a lot. I make enough food for me and that's it. We'll have to figure this out won't we?" He looked to his daughter. Stella nodded as she reached for a slice and bit into it.

"Yay." Stella smiled. Dave watched as his daughter ate four slices. "I'm not even going to ask where you put it all." He said. Stella shrugged before letting off a burp that would make any father proud of his son. "Stella that's far from lady like." Dave said. "Fine, excuse me." She said. "But you still can't beat your old man." Dave burped and smiled. Stella rolled her eyes with a smile. "No fair old man."

Dave and Stella ventured into the living room and sat on the couch. "So are my grandparents still alive on your side?" Stella asked. "Well your grandfather passed almost twenty years ago. But your grandmother is still alive. She lives in New York." Rossi said. "Booty." Stella said.

Dave and Stella talked until someone knocked on the door. Getting up Dave let Hotch in. "Hello Stella. You left these on your desk. Since you'll be home you might as well finish them." Hotch said. "You picked Jack up from school didn't you?" Dave asked. "Bye Dave." Dave waved to Jack who was in his father's car. "That guy could make the devil cry if he tried." Stella said.

"Stella." Dave glared. "Well he could. He has no emotion he'd win. The lose of his wife must have really hurt him. Looks like he's still recovering." Stella said. "How did you know that?" Dave asked. "I've been doing that for a few years now. The ring is missing from his finger but the grief is still in his eyes. You mentioned Jack whom I assumed is his child."

Dave cocked a brow at his daughter. "Was I wrong?" She asked. "No you were right. But don't let the team know they'll try to get you into the BAU." Dave said. "Wow. So this team of yours the really skinny guy is he sick or is that just him?" Stella asked. "I thought the same thing when I saw him. That's just Reid. He's been like that his whole life from my understanding. Maybe I should ship him to Mama she'll put meat on him in two seconds flat." Rossi thought about it.

They had covered most of Stella's childhood before she started yawning. "Come on kiddo time for bed." Dave told her. It was after eleven they could start again in the morning. Stella went to bed and Mudgie was sitting on his doggie bed waiting for Dave to turn off the light. "Well it's not just the two if us anymore pal. Seats gotta go down." Dave sighed then turned over.

At around four in the morning Dave woke to a shriek and hopped out of bed. The door to the bathroom room was yanked open by his daughter who was looking more then pissed off and a bit wet. "What happened?" he asked. "You left the seat up. I fell in."

"Hey I've been living by myself for the past few years kid I'm not use to having a woman in my life. We'll have to work on that." He said. "Yeah we will." Stella walked into her bedroom grabbed a new pair of pants then walked back into the bathroom. "I still have to pee." She said. Dave went back to his own bed and went to sleep.

Stella woke up that morning early. It was seven thirty time she would get up for school. Stella got up and walked across the hall to her father's room. Dave was still sleeping. She use to wake up and crawl into bed with her mother and go back to sleep. Stella sat by the edge of the bed and watched her father sleep. She could see why her mother had loved him. He was perfect for her and she had been perfect for him. They liked the same things and the same music. Mudgie nudged her hand and the two left Dave sleeping.

In the kitchen Mudgie pawed the back door so Stella let him out and closed it quickly so the cold air wouldn't come in further. Looking around the kitchen she didn't find anything to eat. There were eggs but nothing to go with them. She finished off the pizza last night for a late night snake. Letting Mudgie back in she sighed. "He has an electric stove, oh my god, I can't." 

Stella and Mudgie went back upstairs and watched as Dave slept. He would have to wake up soon. They sat on the floor while watching the sleeping man. It was half an hour before they finally gave up. "Dave, wake up." Stella poked him. Dave twitched and turned over. "Dave, come on you have a kid to feed." Dave rolled over again and woke up. His hair was ruffled from his turning and scratching. "What time is it?" He asked.

"After eight. Mudgie and I are hungry."

"You can't cook?" Dave asked. "Not on your stove I can't. Never had an electric stove." She said. "Alright give me five minutes and I'll be down." He said pulling himself up. Hotch should be headed to the office by now if not already there. Hotch picked up on the third ring. "Yeah Dave?"

"What do kids eat?" he asked. "Let me guess she's awake and hungry. Jack does the same thing." Hotch sounded amused. "But Aaron you know your son I just met my daughter. I'll be grocery shopping today." Dave said. "Sit down and make the shopping list with her it's that simple. This way you learn what she likes. I guess at some point we'll talk about why she's suddenly with you." Hotch said. "Alright, sounds like a good plan to me. I gotta go before she tries to get me again." Dave said good-bye to his friend.

"Alright Stell how about we pancakes and eggs for breakfast. Looks like we're going to go shopping after breakfast." Dave said. Stella got off the couch and walked into the kitchen with Dave. "Well mom use to talk about your food. Now I get to try it." Stella smiled. "Get me the eggs, the milk, the flower, butter and oil. Then go get a pen and paper." Dave told her.

Stella handed Dave everything he needed before dashing off to find paper and a pen. When she came back Dave was putting the first pancake on. "I make a decent breakfast but I'm way better at cooking dinner. I use to cook for your mom if we ever missed dinner because of a case. Her favorite dish was my ravioli with vodka sauce." Rossi smiled. "Still was. She use to say no one made it better than you did." Stella smiled. That brought a smile to Rossi's face. "Okay now what do you eat?" The man asked. "Everything. I would eat cereal for breakfast unless mom was feeling really good. I can live with cereal. I eat whatever is cooked, not picky but I usually cooked. I just don't eat bananas so I hope your not a fan of them." She said. "I don't like the consistency or the taste of them." Rossi agreed. They made the list and double-checked it.

After breakfast had finished and the two had eaten Stella and Dave went to get dressed. David put on his coat and scarf looking over to Stella who only had a light coat on. It was December after all. In two weeks schools would be out for Christmas holiday. He would enroll Stella in school after the new year. "Is it always this warm down here?" Stella asked. "YEah pretty much, but we still get snow just not nearly as much." BEfore long the duo was at the store. 

"Alright grab a cart so we can get started."

"Produce first because their right over there." Stella said pointing to the section. Dave nodded as Stella took the list and started to pick up what they needed. From there they walked through the rest of the store picking up things such as canned soups, deli meats, cereal. "So how long have you been cooking on your own. Since I was nine. It started off with mostly microwavable stuff, like soup and then when Mom was finally feeling well enough she showed me how to use the stove and I started cooking. I do okay." she replied. 

In the checkout line Dave put his daughter's skills to the test. "That woman over there." He said pointing very quickly to a woman three lines over. "Her husband is having an affair, and she's using. She's going through withdrawl right now. She keeps checking her phone for a contact from her drug dealer." "Very nice." Dave commented. 

In the car Dave turned on the music and turned on one of his favorites. "Oh no." Stella shook her head turning the radio off and digging in her pocket. "Hey." Dave said looking at Stella for a second then turning back to the road. "Don't worry I'll keep it mellow." She smiled plugging the device in. Dave listened for a moment as the music played. It wasn't the heavy metal or rock Stella talked about the day before.

"It's a string version is the song thought the fire and flames by dragon force. I have other ones but this is one of my favorites. Rock stems from classical." She said. "I like it, it's how me and the guys wrote a few songs." She smiled.

"What guys?" Dave didn't like where this was going already. "Back home I was in a band with three of my friends. I was guitar. My friends were of course guys cause if you noticed I'm not very lady like."

"Yeah I noticed. So I'm guessing guys stay away from you right? Please say yes." Dave told her. "You really wanna talk about boys?" she looked at her father. "Good point, no." Dave told her. The song changed. "So what's this song called?" Dave asked. "Last resort by Papa roach. They have a song called alive and out of control that we play really well." Stella explained.

For the most part Stella was a good kid with good grades. She was interesting and Dave managed not to call Hotch for two days on parenting advice. Hotch told him to call Emily, Garcia or JJ when it came to the girl. They had been teenagers once and they were woman so they could help.

Stella found that Dave was fun in his own way. Living with her father didn't seem so bad now after all. On the third day they finally pulled her stuff out of his car and into the house. The lawyer finally calling him to finalize a few things. 

"Books. Books. Books. My CDs and DVDs. My laptop, ipod radio, a few other things and wed cam. Yes." Stella smiled. "Three boxes of books kid?" Dave looked at her. "I love reading and what's better I got to keep the books I haven't read so now you can think in peace." Stella smiled. "Looks I'll be needing to get a book case for you." He said. "No I'm fine. I use to just pile them up on the floor in the corner. Doesn't matter much to me." Stella said trying to pick up one of the boxes. "I think this is one of the boxes the boys loaded up for me." 

"I'll get it. Got finish getting ready the girl's should be here any minute for you." He said. As if on cue there was a knock on the door. "What I tell you? Quick." JJ, Garcia and Emily were doing Dave the biggest favor in the world. Taking his daughter shopping for more clothes. All she had was what had brought with her which wasn't a lot. "Hello. She went to get her shoes." Dave said. "You have no idea how much this means to me. I'll pay you back." Rossi told them.

"No it's on us. We're happy to help."

Stella came down the stairs bundled up and warm. "Warm enough there Nanook of the north?" Dave smirked. "Haha old man. Well we're off. See you later." Stella went with the three women. "Life's never going to be the same from here is it?" Dave asked Mudgie. The dog barked in agreement.

~.o0o.~

"Alright Stella where do we start first? We can go to any store you like." Garcia said. "Hot topic." Stella said. They bought clothes from there, shoes and school supplies. Some books to keep Stella occupied till she started school.


	3. Meeting Strauss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (Revised)

Stella was getting ready to spend her first Christmas with the profiler and was looking forward to it. Living with her father was pretty cool. Dave was easy to get along with. He cared too. Not that her mother hadn't cared but when you spend most weekends in bed because everything aches, or with your head in the toilet you don't get and you're in the hospital there isn't much time to be a mother. 

Stella would wake up in the middle of the night and sit in the dark for a good long while before giving up. Nights like that were when she crawled into bed with her mother. She doubted Dave would allow her to do the same with him, so she simply toed her way down stairs to watch some TV. Keeping the volume down low she wrapped herself in a blanket and watched a movie. Her father come down stairs a few hours later to find the girl sleeping and the movie had reached it's menu.

That was the second time it had happened. He would wake up and find her sleeping on the couch with the TV on. Stella woke up half an hour later and got dressed and ready for her day. David wanted to ask about it, to talk to her but he knew it had to do with Stella losing Teresa. He wanted to do something for her. Give the girl some comfort. Dave had returned to work on Monday and by Wednesday the team still didn't have a case. Stella had simply gone to work with Dave the past few days and would chill around his office, the bullpen or Garcia's room. She had her books, laptop and ipod and was set. It was not long after lunch when everyone was called into the conference room. Stella stood at one of the windows watching the snow lightly fall over the surrounding area. "Who are you?" a blonde woman near her father's age asked. "Who are you?" Stella asked the woman.

Strauss studied the girl before her. The child screamed Rossi. She looked just like him. "Excuse me, but I'm your elder and deserve the respect as such." Strauss told her. "PMS much." Stella said under her breath. "Excuse me, but what seems to be the problem?" Hotch asked standing in the conference door way. "Where is Rossi?" Strauss almost growled.

"Yes?" Stella's father appeared in the doorway. "What is this and where did it come from?" Strauss asked. "I beg your pardon your highness but I'm just as human as you are. If you even are human." Stella commented. 

"Stella." Dave said in a warning like tone. One she knew from hearing her friends gets yelled at. "Strauss this is my daughter Stella from Massachusetts." Dave told her. Strauss growled under her breath. "Keep better control of her. If you want that two weeks off for the holidays have your team fill these out and have them on my desk tomorrow morning." She said leaving in a huff.

"God, what crawled up her ass and died?" Stella let loose when the woman was out of earshot. "Stella watch your mouth." Dave warned. "Go to my office and stay there, I'll see you in a minute." He said. "Awe jeez." Stella walked into her father's office and waited for the man to show up and yell at her.

~.o0o.~

"I can't believe she just said that to Strauss of all people. That kid of yours is fearless man." Morgan smiled. "Score." Emily laughed. "You know Dave, Stella's not to bad of a kid if she can get rid of Strauss. Can we keep her a bit longer?" Hotch asked.

When Dave finally walked into his office Stella was there reading. "So you going to ground me, yell at me, what?" she asked. "I'm not going to ground you and I'm not going to yell at you. You did the one thing we fear to do. For you it wouldn't really matter, for us it means a job." He said. "So I'm not in trouble?" Stella smiled. "No. But you have to spend some time with Garcia while I'm away on this case. I'll leave my house key so you can get in. Don't worry about the house or Mudgie. He said. "Okay." Stella nodded and collected her things.

"I'll see you in a few days kiddo." Dave said waving good-bye as he left Stella with Garcia. Stella went home with Garcia after they made a trip to the house for some clothes for her to wear. "So Penny how long do cases usually last for?"

"About a week depending on how good the unsub is. Don't worry they'll be fine." she said. "Okay we can order out or eat in which ever one is fine with me. We can chill and watch a movie." The woman smiled. "Like a sleep over?" Stella smiled. She had never had one before. Her friends were boys so she never stayed the nights at their houses. "Yup how about Chinese?" Garcia smiled. Stella camped out on the couch that night and the next morning the two headed out to the BAU.

~.o0o.~

It's been three days now. The team knew who they were looking for but had one hell of a time trying to catch him. "Garcia?"

"Yes Rossi?"

"How's Stella holding up?" he asked. "We're doing great old man." Stella appeared in the screen. "I was just about to go get our lunch from down stairs. Stay away a few days longer, we're having loads of fun." Stella smiled. "As soon as we catch this guy we'll be heading home. Now go get lunch, I think I can here that bottomless pit of yours all the way out here." Dave smiled.

Stella left the room. "You two getting along alright?" Dave asked as he took the screen and walked away from the rest. "Yes sir. She a good kid. I might keep her." Garcia smiled. "Has she done anything weird or have you woken up to the TV on?" Dave asked. "Yesterday morning yeah." Garcia admitted. 

"Okay thanks Garcia we'll see you in a few days." Dave cut the connection. He'd have to talk to his daughter. Stella came back a few moments later with lunch. "So they should back soon?" she asked. "Maybe." I'm looking up some information for them right now, and when I'm done I'll send it to them so they can move from there." Garcia explained. 

By Sunday the team had their man in custody, Monday they would fly back home. "I'm heading home." Morgan was nearly ready to dance. He was going home for Christmas with his mother and sisters. Hotch would be spending it with Jack. JJ, Will and Henry were going to have their first Christmas together as a family. Reid was going to his mom. Garcia was going to meet Kevin's parents. Emily was going to suffer Christmas with her mother. Rossi was about to spend his first Christmas with his daughter.

Two weeks off and they weren't going to be on call. So you going Christmas tree hunting or what?" Hotch asked. "Not sure. I haven't done Christmas in a while and usually just take Mudgie to the cabin." Dave said.

"You'll figure it out." Hotch said. "Hey Dave." Stella smiled at the man. "Hey Stell. Get your stuff I can finish this paper work at home. I just have to come in tomorrow and then it's just you and me. For the holidays." Dave smiled. Stella went to get her things from Garcia's office. She waved good-bye to the others and followed Dave out to the car. "It's gonna snow soon." Stella told him. "How are you so sure?"

"I can smell it. The air is way to calm. It's either going to rain or snow and seeing as it's below 32 degrees I believe we are in for the latter." Stella smirked. "Clever." Rossi nodded. 

Driving in silence for a bit he finally brought up the subject. "Stella, what's this waking up you've been doing? Yeah I noticed so don't give me that look that." Dave told her. "When I was little, at mom got sick the first time it made me feel better to share the bed with her. I couldn't always go with a family friend, or my grandparents so I would curl up in the hospital bed with her." 

Dave didn't say anything as they walked into the house. Mudgie came running up to them and jumping on both his masters. Stella put her things away in her room and went back down stairs to help Dave cook when there was a knock at the door. "I'll get it." She said drying her hands off on her jeans. "Hello." Stella said opening the door. "Hello is David in?" the man asked. Stella nodded.

"Dave come here."

"I'm coming. I'm coming." Dave appeared in the doorway. "Hey Frank. Stella this is Frank lives in the blue house next door. Frank my daughter Stella. So what can I do for you?" Dave asked. "A rather thick envelope came for you the other day. IT had to be signed for and since you weren't home I signed for it because I'd been over looking over the dog." Frank explained. "So since when do you have a kid?"

"Since last week. I have no clue what I'm doing. I didn't even know I had a kid till she showed up." Dave told the man. "Cute kid though. Takes after you." Frank told him. "Thanks. How about introducing her to your daughter. They're about the same age." Dave suggested.

"I'll talk to Kelly about when she gets home in a few days." Franki said. "Alright. Stella needs friends her own age I think she and kelly will get along just fine." Dave told him. "Dave it's burning!" Stella called out to him. Dave dashed into the kitchen and saved Stella from burning her self any further with the stove and the dish could be salvaged.

"I really hate your stove." Stella hissed in pain as Dave put something over the burn. "There all fixed up. Now come on we have dinner to eat. Tomorrow we're going tree shopping with Hotch and his son Jack. "Okay." Stella told him. Stella fed Mudgie scraps under the table when Dave wasn't looking. "I know your feeding him under the table." Stella looked up.

"I'm a profiler what did you think would happen?" Dave smiled. "I'll never get away with anything at this rate with you will I?" Stella smiled. "Never." Dave smiled.

Stella opened her boxes to find her baby pictures and some of the old home movies from when she was growing up. "Hey, Dave my friend's mom sent these thought you might have liked to see them." Stella held out to him a tape.

Stella the first month to first Christmas, Dave read. 

"Might as well play catch up with my life. I've seen them all. Heck I lived it. But I think it's nice she let you have them." Stella told him.

"Why did your friends mom send them?" He asked. 

"Because I couldn't bring everything with me. I grabbed what I could and left the rest with them so they could send it. I emailed them to let them know you were keeping me."

Rossi nodded in understanding. For the next two hours Dave was able to watch all the videos of Stella as a child. Getting her home from the hospital and giving her first bath. She looked like him even then only younger. They watched from bringing Stella home to Stella's first steps. "Come on time for bed kiddo." Dave told her. "Jack likes to wake up early and I told Hotch to come over at around nine."

"He's got a young kid doesn't he?" Stella asked as they climbed the stairs. "Yup."

"How old?" Stella asked. "Six and he's just liked his father. Kinda funny when he fixes his glare on you. Little Hotchner in the making." Dave smiled. (A/N: I changed Jack's age for the story. I can do what I want.)

Stella yawned. Dave smiled and shook his head. "Go to bed Stella. Good night." Dave smiled. "Mudgie go sleep in there." Dave told the dog. Mudgie whined at the door until Stella let him in. It wasn't long before Dave could hear the snoring teen before he went off to bed himself. "Like father like daughter." he chuckled.


	4. Of Trees and Snowballs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (Revised)

There was a knocking on the door that dragged her from her sleep. The front door to be more correct. "Alright wait a minute." Stella yelled getting up. She ran down stairs hair rumbled and a mess. It fell into her eyes. "What?" She said snatching the door open. Seeing that it was Hotch and his son Jack she growled. "Sorry about that Hotch. Be right back." Stella stomped up the stairs after letting Hotch and his son in.

"Daddy who was she?" Jack asked. "That's your Uncle Dave's daughter. Her name is Stella." Hotch said. "She looks like uncle Dave when he wakes up." Jack said.

~.o0o.~

"Dave wake up." Stella shook the man. "What? What?" He sat up and looked at the ruffled teen. Stella pointed to the clock. "Oh. Is Hotch here?" he asked. "Yeah their down stairs and I look like a train wreck." Stella said.

"Sorry kiddo." Dave said and got up. Dave went down stairs to find Aaron and Jack sitting his living room watching TV for the moment. "Make yourself at home?"

"Stella is not a morning person." Hotch said. "Yeah. I'll be right back let me get ready let us have breakfast real quick then we can head out. I forgot to set the timer." Said with a slight yawn. "Your age is catching up to you?" Hotch smirked. Dave went upstairs to change.

By eleven they were on the road and driving to get Christmas trees. Stella was a bit grumpy about her rude awakening that morning but was happy with her music in her ear. "Daddy, why won't Cousin Stella talk to me? Does she need coffee like Uncle Dave?" The blonde boy asked.

"I hate coffee. It's disgusting." Stella said before tuning everyone out to listen to her music. " She's no way your kid if she doesn't drink coffee." Hotch said. "You didn't like coffee when you started at the BAU and she doesn't work for the BAU. It wasn't until after that fourth case you became a coffee hound like the rest of us in there." Rossi smiled.

They pulled into the parking lot at the tree farm and started looking around. Stella flinched when she felt something cold drop on her head. It gave her an idea. Stella took some snow into her hands and made it into a ball. Watching as Dave and Hotch looked for a tree she followed them keeping out of sight before throwing it and ducking behind a series of trees.

Whether the snow had hit her father or Hotch she wasn't sure. "Hey, Dave I found one." She called out to him. Dave grabbed a bit of snow and dropped it down the back of Stella's shirt. Causing the girl to begin jumping up and down to get rid of the snow. "What is wrong with you?" Stella said letting the snow fall to the ground. "I have no clue what your talking about." Dave looked at the tree. "Perfect for the house." He said.

"Daddy, I found the right one. Mommy will like this one." Hotch went over to check on his son. "I thought Hotch lost his wife." Stella asked. "He did, but Jack wanted to do Christmas right this year and get a tree and decorate the house for his mother, so she could see it from heaven." Dave told her. "Sweet kid." Stella said.

After loading up the trees they found that they needed to stop for lunch. They had accompanied Hotch and Jack shopping for stuff to make Christmas cookies. Hotch didn't know how to bake. "So I guess your intents were burning your house down tonight?" Stella asked. "Took the words out of my mouth kid." Rossi smiled. "Hey." Hotch glared at his friend.

"Hotch you can cook, but you can't bake. I still remember those cookies from fifteen years ago." Dave told him. "All I can bake are cupcakes, cakes, and pies. Anything else your on your own." Stella told them.

"Wanna trade kids for a few hours she can teach me to bake and you can teach Jack to cook." Hotch laughed. "No, I'm keeping my kid. Hey Stella, how about we do some baking. I could go for a gingerbread cookie or two."

"Want to try some more father daughter bonding?" Stella asked. "Is it working?"

"Yeah. I love being in the kitchen, I just hate your stove." Stella said holding up her hand. "Put more of that stuff on it when you get home." Dave instructed. Stella and jack walked ahead further. "You seem to be settling into being a single parent pretty well." Hotch said. "She's not a bad kid. Smart and very easy to care for. She eats then goes to read. I can hear her music a little bit but nothing to worry about." Rossi said. "Long as you two are doing alright." Hotch said. "But you know it's coming." "What's coming?" "BEing a teenager. Think about it, she spent all that time looking after her mother, she didn't get much time to really joke around and get in trouble." ~.o0o.~ 

They parted ways soon after Hotch taking his son to their home so they could set up the Christmas tree. "So we setting up the tree first or do we start baking?" Dave asked. "Nap time." Stella said. "It's the middle of the day."

"Teenage law says I'm subject to fall asleep at any time possible." Stella said. "Oh no you don't. You can help set up the tree, then I'll let you have a bit of a nap after that we'll get started in the kitchen." Dave said. Stella groaned, "Fine."

By the time they had finished decorating the tree Stella and Dave forgot about the promised nap and went into the kitchen to start baking the cookies. "Dave you've flour on your face." Stella told him. "Where?"

"Here, here and here." Stella pointed to Dave's face causing him to whip more flour on it. Stella cracked up laughing causing her father o look at her strangely. "You thinks this is funny?" Dave asked. Stella nodded wiping tears from her eyes with the back of her hand. Dave threw a bit of flour at her face. "Oh no." Stella threw some back till it became a full out flour war.

So the kitchen was covered in flour as was Dave and his daughter. "Sorry about the kitchen Dave." Stella smiled. "It's okay Stell. Lets get the cookies in the oven then we'll clean it up." Dave smiled as he flicked one last bit of flour to the girl. An hour later the kitchen was clean and the pair had been de-floured. "Dave look it's snowing again. Stella said running to grab her coat and dashed out the door with Mudgie following after her.

Dave stood in the door way watching the teen dance around in the snow and his dog jump around with her. "Come on, Dave." Stella called out to him. "No you have fun." He said. "Oh come on it's not that bad." Stella smiled. Mudgie barked in agreement. "Alright fine old man. Guess you can't keep up with me." Stella said.

"Wait just one minute there. I may be over fifty but I can keep up just fine." Dave said. "Prove it." Stella challenged. Dave grabbed his coat and stepped out into the falling snow. Stella wasn't anywhere in sight. Mudgie was sitting by the tree wagging his tail. Snow fell on Dave's shoulder causing him to look up.

"Hello old man." Stella smiled. "I'm not going to ask but please come down." Stella worked her way back to the ground and the moment she straightened up Stella was hit with a snow ball. "That's for the one at the tree farm." Dave smiled. "Oh you wanna throw snow." Stella asked as she threw some back to her father and soon it became a full out war.

"Alright lets get inside and warm again the cookies are done by this point." Dave said shaking snow off his head. Mudgie ran inside the house first followed by Dave and Stella. "Go get changed, quickly. I don't want you sick." Dave said reaching for an oven mite. Twenty minutes later they found themselves in the living room with hot coco and cookies watching a movie.

"I think we'll be a bit snowed in kiddo." Dave told her. "I don't mind. I wonder how the guys are holding up?" Stella said, running to get her laptop and web cam. When she came back she plopped down into her spot again and set up.

/Stella! Buddy where you been? How you been?/

"I'm fine. I'm living with my dad in Virginia. Wanted to check on you nut cases." Stella said.

/Hold on I'll get the others./

Three more faces appeared on the screen. "Dave these are my friends and my fellow band members Trevor, Jimmy, and Paul. Guys this is my dad, David Rossi." Stella smiled.

/Sup. But Stella it's been over a week. You haven't called or anything. My mom sent over some stuff to you./ 

"Don't worry, I got it. Dave put me on his plan so my phone is on again. I'll text you later. Tell your mom I said thanks, Paul."

/Long as your alright. We're bored without you up here. No band practice because your not here. It's not the same./

The others agreed with Paul. "I know Pauly. But I'll might be able to come visit you this summer if Dave says it's okay. We'll see each other again soon I promise." Stella said. They talked for a few more minutes before each signed off. "They really care about you don't they?"

"Yeah they are like brothers to me. I've known them since I met them in third grade. We've been thick as thieves since." Stella told him. "Why haven't you called them?" Dave asked. "My phone has been cut off until a few days ago." Stella explained. "They start break in another day. But it might start early if it's snowing like this." She said.

By ten Dave called it quits and headed to bed. Mudgie and Stella stayed down stairs for a bit longer to watch another movie. It was after midnight when the two finally claimed the stairs to go to bed. Snow fall had stopped.

~.o0o.~

The next day while cooking up some lunch there was a soft knock to the door. As promised Frank showed up with his daughter. Kelly was a redhead and shy because of her disability. She was hard of hearing. Borderline deaf so she went to a different school in the next school district. 

"Stella come here." Stella appeared next to her father. "Stella this is Frank and his daughter Kelly."

"Hi Kelly." Stella smiled. Kelly started to sign to Stella. Stella was able to sign back. Kelly smiled as she put her hand out. Stella smiled and shook the offered hand. Kelly and Stella went into the house. "You didn't tell me she knew how to sign." Frank said. "I didn't know she could either." Dave admitted. "Hey Dave can Kelly hang out for a bit?"

"Sure if it's alright with Frank." Dave looked at Frank who nodded. "I have to get a bit of shopping done before my wife gets home from work. I'll see you in a few hours, thanks Dave." Frank waving to Dave as he headed for his car.

Kelly went back next door after they had dinner. Stella and Dave got ready for bed and went to sleep. Dave yet again sending Mudgie in the room after the girl.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

"Why?" Stella rolled out of her bed and got up and pounded on Dave's door before she went down stairs to answer the door. On the other side stood a short elderly woman with a cane. She had wrinkled with age but it was obvious who she was. Her eyes were still young looking and sharp. But if Stella was judging right the woman of about 80 or so. Shorter then her from aging.

"Stella what's wrong?" Dave asked coming down the stairs.

"David." said the woman.

"Mama?" He stared.


	5. Christmas with Grandma?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (revised.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the sack of the story Dave is an only child.

"David, my son, are you going to stand there or are you going to help me with my bags?" she asked stepping into the house. Stella took the woman's coat and scarf and put them away in the closet. "Now lets have a look at you." the woman said looking at both her son and granddaughter.

There was no way you couldn't see the resemblance. You would have to be blind not to.

"Son? So you're my grandmother?" Stella questioned.

"Yes. You may call me Nona. I always wanted grandchildren. You look just like your father." the woman smiled. "Mama can we please take this one step at a time. I've only but had Stella little over two weeks and we have both just woken up." Dave told the woman. "Alright dear. Both of you follow me. You both need to eat. Look at her David, she's so thin." the woman frowned.

"She's your mother." Stella told Dave.

"But I love her." Dave smiled as he sat down. Eudora Rossi was a sweet woman, a woman who could very easily have her own way. She began fixing breakfast while Dave and Stella sat at the table. "Stella tell me about yourself. How old are you? Where are you from? Do you have a boyfriend?" the woman rambled.

"Mama, one question at a time." Dave said as he let Mudgie out the door.

"I'm sixteen. I'm from Brockton, Massachusetts. I don't have a boyfriend. I have male friends." Stella said. "So who was you mother?" Eudora asked. "Mama." Dave said in a warning tone. "Teresa Anderson."

"The girl I told your father to marry. She was such a nice woman. I told your father to marry her and she just suddenly disappeared. Besides your father's first wife I never liked any of the others." Eudora said. The woman spoke her mind and her son knew how she felt about his former flames it was no new news to him.

Eudora sat plates in front of the two. Dave looked at his and Stella muttered a thank you before digging in. "Mama how did you get here?" Dave asked. "I flew in just this morning. I wanted to see you this holiday and meet my granddaughter. You never gave me grandchildren to spoil I have to make up for lost time." Eudora smiled at her son.

"She looks just like you. Eats like you did at that age." Eudora smiled. "Chew your food, Stella." Dave told her.

"We were going to come see you ourselves." Dave told his mother. "I wanted to see something new. Get out of New York for a little bit. When a woman my age discovers she has a granddaughter what more reason does she need?" Eudora had a point. "I'm done thank you, Nona." Stella ran up stairs to get dressed. She came back two minutes later wearing jeans and an AFI band t-shirt.

"Stella help your grandmother into the room next to my office. I'm going to get dressed." Dave said climbing the stairs. But the time Dave had showered and come back Stella was looking at baby pictures of her father that Eudora had brought with her.

"Your father was a baby boomer." Eudora smiled. "From there it was all fun. But we did have a bit of a time with writing. We didn't know it he was left handed or right. Before long we figured it out." she said. "Your going to embarrass me to my own child? You should be watching to videos of Stella growing up." Dave smirked at Stella.

They had been in the middle of watching one of the tapes Dave had been talking about when the phone rang. "Hello."

"Hello Dave. I thought I'd check in on you and Stella. How you holding up?" Hotch asked. "We're doing pretty good. We had a flower fight while making cookies then my mother showed up this morning. She and Stella are in the living room. Their getting along just fine." Dave smiled. "That's good." Hotch said. "So what's this call about Aaron?"

"To prove to you we didn't burn the house down this time." Hotch laughed. "Good-bye Aaron." Dave chuckled. "Bye Dave."

Back in the living room Stella sat next to Eudora as they watched the video of Stella learning to ride a bike. Her mother was teaching her. Dave had wished she could have been there to see her grow up but he knew her now is what mattered. Stella cooked dinner that night with minimal burns to her hands and arms.

The next morning the two were woken up the smells of cooking. Eudora had cooked yet again. She was old but by no means weak of fragile. She had once been used to making breakfast every morning for her husband and son before they left for school and work. She missed it many times so whenever she saw her son she would always make him breakfast.

"You know Davey I always knew you'd have a daughter. Sons would have never suited you." Eudora said. "Why would you say that?" Rossi asked his mother. "Because a son would want to be like you. Would want to follow in your foot steps and you wouldn't want that. Besides girls are so much more low maintenance when it comes to raising them." the woman said.

Dave had to admit Stella was very easy to live with. She had books to keep her occupied and her laptop or she would watch TV. Stella wasn't a picky eater so feeding her wasn't a problem. She wasn't a messy child. In fact she wasn't big on having things out of place. She did her own laundry. Stella was energetic but either kept it contained or took Mudgie for a walk. No she certainly wasn't hard to live with. But it did worry Rossi. She hadn't had the time to be a teen with her mother always being sick. She had to take care of the pair of them most days.

~.o0o.~

Stella woke up on Christmas morning like anyone would and jumped on her father's bed to wake him. "Up, up it's Christmas." Stella said.

"It's not even six am yet go back to bed." Dave said pulling his pillow over his head.

"Fine." Stella said pulling the covers back and settling into the bed. "Now don't wake up again before eight." Dave said going back to sleep. Mudgie jumped onto the foot of the bed and settled in. When Dave woke up again it was indeed after eight. Stella was curled into a ball with a stuffed animal. Strange kid he had but he loved her still. "Stell it's time to wake up kiddo. Wake up now or your grandmother will hustle us up." He said.

Stella was stubborn to wake. "Mudgie get her up." Dave said to the dog. Mudgie jumped onto the bed and started to lick the girls face. "Ew. Stop it! Stop it! Mudgie no." Stella got was awake now. "Come Stella it's Christmas." Dave smiled at her.

"That's so not even fair." Stella said. "Come on lets get down stairs." Dave smiled. "Not till I wash my face." Stella said.

"Meet me down there." Dave walked down stairs to fine hid Mama awake and sitting in a chair by the tree. "I was waiting for you to wake up and decided to finish her scarf and hat. She's amazing David. Brightens up that dark life you have." Eudora said. His mother had a point. He had been happy to see Stella when they returned from the case. He understood JJ and Hotch now. That first case they had involving a kid after he found that he truly cared about Stella, and having her in his life he watched the girl sleep for a few moments. A silent prayer said so she would always be safe.

"Alright I'm dog drool free. Morning Nona." Stella kissed the woman on her cheek. "Morning Tesoro." Eudora smiled at her. Stella reached under the tree for a gift and handed it to Dave. "You didn't have to get me anything Kiddo." Dave took the gift and opened it.

It was a pair of baby booties with little bells attached. "My first pair of shoes after I started to walk. I'm giving you free ammo to use if I ever bring home a boyfriend." Stella said. "Thanks Stella."

"Tesoro these are yours." Eudora handed her the scarf and hat, which Stella put on. "Thank you, Nona." Stella hugged her. "Stella I think you'll like this one." Dave said handing her a box. Stella tore into it and attacked Dave with a hug. "Thankyouthankyouthankyou."

A brand new cell phone. "It has full keyboard. Unlimited text, talk and internet. You can even send pictures." Dave smiled. Stella grabbed the Santa hat and switched it with the one her grandmother had made for her. Stella sat between Dave and her grandmother taking a picture of them all. She sent it to her friends with a merry Christmas across the bottom.

"I have another one for you to. My baby book. And an empty one. I wanna fill this one with pictures of us." Stella said. "We can do that kiddo." Rossi told her. "Stella I have one last gift for you." Eudora said. "But Nona you didn't have do that. The hat and scarf were enough for me." Stella told her. "No this is a gift that has been passed down. It was my grandmother's." Eudora gave he a small Jewelry box.

"Nona it's so beautiful thank you." Stella hugged the elderly woman. "Take good care of it, Tesoro."

"I will, I promise."

Together the three made breakfast and sat down to eat. The rest of the day Eudora showed Stella how to knit. The girl picked it up rather well and rather quickly. Dave smiled as he managed to steal a picture for the photo album Stella had given him. Might as well start filling it now. The New year rang in and the day after Eudora went back to her apartment in New York.

It suddenly dawned on Dave that he would have to take his daughter to the doctor before she could start school. This would prove to be a trying task. He even hated going to the doctor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tesoro means sweetheart in Italian.


	6. Doctors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (revised)

"Stella you have to go to the doctor." Rossi said. "No way. They stick and pick at you constantly and their hands are always cold. No. And /he's/ a man." Stella protested.

"If you don't go, you can't start school."

"I'm not complaining here." Stella smiled.

"Doctor Harold is a good doctor, what is the problem? You go in let him look you over and get out. Nothing to it." Rossi said.

"Yeah, it sounds that way to you but to me it's a problem."

"Stella your being ridiculous."

"Um he's a man. In case you haven't noticed I have female parts. My doctor has always been a woman." Stella told him.

"What's so hard about seeing a male doctor? A doctor is s doctor." Dave told her.

"You just don't get it. Parents never understand do they?" Stella said as she got out the car. "If you told me I would I understand." Rossi told her. Stella shook her head and headed for Garcia's lair. "Whoa. What's wrong with Stella?" Morgan asked. "I'm not entirely sure." Rossi said with a sigh. "Want to share I might be able to help." Morgan said. "She refuses to see the doctor. I can't get her enrolled in school until she does." Rossi told the dark skinned man.

"Yeah I don't see the problem either." Morgan said. Garcia walked out of her lair and over to the pair of men. "You can say I'm the greatest at any minute now." Garcia smiled. "Why would that be Baby Girl?" Morgan asked. "The reason why Stella won't go to Rossi's doctor." she smiled.

"Because she's a girl." Emily said. "Bingo, my lovely friend." Garcia smiled. "Yeah that's why. Your doctor is a man Stella is a girl. She'd feel uncomfortable about talking to him about certain things here. It's better if you take her to a female doctor. Stella is also a teenager so her body is still going through changes like-"

"Stop I don't want details I just need a doctor." Rossi said cutting JJ off. When had she come to join the conversation? "I can take her to the doctors with me on Friday. I'm going to get my yearly done and out of the way." Emily said. "You would? Thank you Emily." Rossi hugged the woman. "You are saving my life." He smiled. "No problem."

"Emily you are a life saver." Stella hugged the woman when she finally emerged from the lair. "Next time Stella just tell me what's bothering you.' Dave said. "How many times did I point out his gender?" Stella asked. "Drop the sass." 

~.o0o.~

That following Monday Dave walked into Stella's room and woke her up. "Time to get ready for school kiddo." Dave said walking back out the door. Dave went down stairs and had himself a cup of coffee and a breakfast muffin. Stella hadn't gotten up yet.

"Mudgie get her up." Dave said opening the door again. The dog attacked the girl in the bed. "Get up Stella you got ten minutes."

"I only need five." Stella said pushing Dave and Mudgie out of her room. Music came on as Dave stood outside the door and listened. Stella walked out of her room and into the bathroom two minutes later she walked back into her room.

THUD

One minute. 30 seconds. Ten, nine, the door opened. "I'm strange and I like it that's just the way I am." Stella sang along with the song. "Get your coat and your bag and get down stairs grab a bottle of water and a muffin let's go you got school missy." Dave said heading down the stairs.

An hour later Stella and Dave were walking out of the main office. "Alright you all set from here?" Dave asked. "Yeah I've got it covered. I'll see you in the circle at three." Stella smiled. "I'll notify you if we get a case then Garcia will pick you up." Dave told her. "Behave yourself." Dave called after the girl.

"I promise not to break any arms." Stella smiled walking down the hall.

Dave shook his head as he left for work. Entering the BAU he made a bee-line for his office. "So how the separation working out for you?" Hotch asked. "I have no clue what you're talking about?" Rossi admitted. "What are you talking about? Stella has been at your side for weeks now and you finally send her off to school and you don't miss her?" Hotch asked. "I miss her but I'm not some over dramatic mother who can't stand seeing their kid go to school." Rossi shook his head at the younger man.

"Try me again when I send her off to college." Dave smirked. 

Stella was having her own fun in school. Math sucked and English was boring. History she could do in her sleep. Gym she was bored because she had to sit out. At Lunch Stella went to the library to eat her lunch. Dave had packed her lunch. When three o'clock came round Stella went to her locker and then went outside to meet Dave. Dave was waiting for her outside.

Dave waited still Stella had climbed into the car and put her seat belt on before asking her how her day was. "So how did school go?"

"It sucked. I got to history and the teacher said that they were taking a test I said I wanted to take it too. Teacher let me take the test and I aced it. Everyone else had Bs and what not. WWI is not that hard. We covered that back up north. I tomorrow I have to remember gym clothes and I think I can live through history for a few more weeks." Stella told him.

Dave rolled his eyes. Teenagers. 

"So got any homework?" Dave asked. "Yeah. I'll set up in the break room and get started. It's only math but if you find brains all over the floor their mine." Stella told him. Dave walked into his office and let Stella go to her room.

Half an hour later Stella was a growling mess. "Need help?" Spencer came into the break room.

Stella attacked him with a hug. "Pleasepleaseplease." Stella pulled him over to the table. "Oh this is easy sit down and we'll make it through this." Spencer said. Another half hour Stella understood the homework. "Spenny you rock."

"Spenny?"

"Yup my nick name for you." Stella told him. "Hey Stella, Reid" Morgan greeted her. "Hey Morg. Well I'm off I need chocolate and Garcia's got it." Stella bounced out of the office. "That's weird." Morgan stated.

"What is?"

"You are not running to get to Garcia's office for chocolate. We all know you're a sugar fiend Reid." Morgan told him. "I got coffee instead." Reid smiled.

~.o0o.~

"Dave." Stella whined from the bathroom.

"What's up kiddo?"

"Can you call one of the girls please?" she asked.

"You've reached the goddess of tech?" Garcia answered. "Uh it's Stella. She's gone and trapped her self in the bathroom and told me to call you." Dave said.

"What's wrong with my baby?"

"I don't know. If I knew I wouldn't be calling." Dave said pinching the bridge of his nose. "Put her on the phone." Dave stuck the phone in the bathroom for Stella to grab. A minute later the door opened. "She's on her way over here." Stella groaned.

Half an hour later Garcia appeared at the door with a bag in her hand. "Where's my mini Rossi?" She asked. "Up."

Garcia came down five minutes later. "It's nothing to worry about Rossi. She's just gotten her period." Garcia said. "No. I don't wanna hear it." Dave covered his ears. "Three marriages and your still not use to it?" Garcia asked. "No and I don't need to know about it when it's comes to my daughter." Dave said.

"Fine. She'll be fine but you, are going to have to get use to it. Call if you need anything else." Garcia said. "Right." Dave showed Garcia out and sighed as he watched the woman pull off. "I think I'll let Stella have the upstairs bathroom." Rossi said looking at Mudgie.

~.o0o.~

"Stella wake up. Come on, Kiddo I need you to wake up for me." Dave woke Stella up. It was late. "Come on kiddo I need you to wake up." Dave told her.

"What's wrong?" Stella rubbed sleep from her eyes. "Get your go-bag I have to take you to Garcia's house." Dave said. Stella grabbed a bag and met Dave down stairs in the car. It was after four in the morning. It was late January and Dave was being called in for an urgent case. "I'll call in a few hours." Dave said nodding to Garcia he kissed Stella's forehead and left.

"Come on, you still have school in a few hours." Garcia told her. Stella collapsed on the couch happily and fell back to sleep yet again.

~.o0o.~

"How you holding up Stella?" Dave asked. "I'm fine here. I'll see you when you get home Dad." Stella smiled. "Alright try not to get in any trouble."

"I make no promises."


	7. Sick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (revised)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whatever you see in Italics is Kelly signing.

It was mid February by now and Dave and Stella were still doing just fine. Free weekends were spent together finding something to do. Stella made weekly calls and chats to her friends back north. Dave had settled into being a parent pretty well. If he needed any advice there was always Hotch. Besides the fact that Stella didn't complain and was easy to get on with. OF course he was still worried about her, and tried to give the girl the freedom 

Dave went across the hall and went to get Stella up. She was slow to wake up, slower then normal. "You alright, kiddo?"

"I'm fine, I was up late studying for that stupid test. I don't want to take it." She whined.

"All you have to do is take the test and your done. You said it yourself you can do it in your sleep." Dave said.

"Why do parents always quote their kids in a way of feeling the need to get back at them?" She asked.

 

"Oh stop it." Dave said.

 

"Eh. Like you didn't complain when you were my age." Stella watched her father. They road the last few minutes in silence. "I'll see you at three Stella." Dave said.

"Bye Dad." Stella waved as she ran into the school building to get out of the cold. Dave looked around him the yard was empty more then a little bit. It wasn't normal and the numbers over the last few days had seemed to decline during the week. Monday the yard had been full despite the cold but now it was only a quarters worth at Thursday.

It had been a little after noon when Dave's cell phone rang. "Hello."

"Mr. Rossi?"

"Yes?"

"This is Mrs. Hudson the school's nurse. I need you to come pick up Stella and take her home. She's contracted the flu." Mrs. Hudson explained. Dave wanted to do nothing more then smack his forehead on his desk. If anything he should have made sure the kid had a flipping flu shot.

"Alright I'll be there in a few minutes." Dave hung up and collected his paper work. At that moment JJ walked into his office was a case file in his hands.

"Where are you going?" The blonde asked. "Stella's school just called, she's sick I have to go pick her up. Let the others know." Dave said dashing out the door.

Dave arrived at the high school and signed in at the front desk. Walking into the nurse's office he had a father like glare ready for his daughter. But when he saw the three other students sleeping in beds waiting for their parents he gave up realizing his daughter hadn't wanted to get sick it was just something that happened.

Dave signed Stella out and nearly had to carry the teen to the car. "Why did you come to school if you didn't feel well?" Dave scolded.

"I was fine at first I thought it was because I stayed up to study then went I went to eat lunch it just came back up." She frowned as she felt her stomach flipping. Dave opened the door and Stella didn't protest as she crawled up stairs to her bed and went to sleep for a while.

"How she's doing?" Hotch asked.

"It's the flu she'll be fine in a few days I have to give her another shot of this medicine in another hour." Dave said.

"Alright well-" Hotch started to go over that the team had gotten during the past hour and a half stuff they had found out about the unsub.

"Check in later. Tell Stella we hope she gets well." Hotch said.

Dave went to check on the sick teenager. Stella hadn't moved once. She slept unless Dave woke her and moved very little. "Just shoot me. Please shoot me." Stella whined from the toilet owl. "No." Rossi said patting the kid's head.

"Dad this sucks." Stella whined.

 

"Who you telling? I get how Hotch and JJ feel when their kids are sick. I don't like it." He confessed. 

 

"Just glad you're here." She replied.

 

"Wouldnt be anywhere else."

~.o0o.~

February melted into March and the weather started to look up around mid April. Stella and Dave were getting along as well and a teen-age girl and her father could. Stella and Kelly were chilling out in the living room watching TV when Dave walked through the door.

 

"Hey Dad." Stella called.

Kelly signed to Dave. "She said Hello Mr. Rossi." Stella translated.

"Hello girls. Stella how was school?" Dave asked.

"Okay. Had to do push-ups and sit-ups in gym. My shoulders will survive. How was work?"

 "Lot of paper work. Wanna finish some off for me?" Dave smiled at the teen.

"No, thanks. Those are your criminals." Stella smiled.

 

"So what are you two watching?" Dave took a sit on the empty side of the couch next to Stella. Kelly signed again.

"She said it's called V for Vendetta with Hugo Weaving and Natalie Portman. She says if you want to see the whole movie through you can barrow it." Stella looked at Dave.

 

"Tell I said thanks. Is Kelly sticking around for dinner?"

Stella started to sign to Kelly and the girl signed back. "If it's okay with you. If not she'll head home."

"She can stay, you can both help me in the kitchen with the cooking. Were having chicken alfredo and I'm making the noodles this time." Dave said getting up and heading for the stairs. "I'm going to change real quick, get everything we need, you now what to get." Dave called.

Kelly started signing.

_You make your own noodles. That's so cool._

Stella smiled as the two went to the kitchen to get started. Rossi came down a few minutes later to find that Stella was already teaching Kelly what to do.

"The chef at work in my kitchen." Dave smiled.

"Just get over here and help." Stella laughed. Kelly had a large smile on her face as she watched.

When dinner was done the three sat down for dinner.

_This is really good. Your dad's a great cook._

"What she say?" Dave asked.

"She said you're a really good cook." Stella smiled.

Dave smiled and nodded at Kelly before going back to his plate. After dinner Kelly walked back next-door leaving the father and daughter alone.

"Friday night and we're inside." Stella told him.

"Don't teenagers go out?" Dave asked her.

"Not always."

"Why not?"

"You got a hot date coming over or something?" Stella looked to her father.

"I thought I was the parent?" Dave looked at the teen across from him.

"You are. But you're wondering why I'm not out of the house. Most fathers' won't let their daughters out of their sight let alone tell them to go out. You're contradicting being a father." Stella said. "Besides Kelly isn't big on going out and I'm okay with staying in for movie nights. Kinda makes me miss the guys though."

"Hm. Well get ready because your going to meet my third ex-wife. She really wants to see me. Most likely to get back together. I wouldn't do it if you paid me. I don't know what I saw in her." Dave said.

"Oh crap. How long do I have to hide?"

"Till nine."

As if the world was against them there was a knock on the door. Dave swore as he went to answer the door.

"I'm out." Stella said getting off the couch to go up to her room.

"Oh no you don't. If you stay maybe she'll leave." Dave said.

Stella jumped onto the couch again to make it seem as if the two had been sitting around the house relaxing. "Hello David." A tallish blonde woman walked into the house.

"Katherine." Dave closed the door to turn around and find his daughter having a staring contest with Stella. Stella was holding her own with a bored expression.

"Who is she?" Katherine asked.

"My daughter Stella."

"Daughter? Since when the hell do you have a daughter?"

"Since December. And I'm not getting rid of her." Dave said.

"Look I came here to get back with you. I miss you, David, and I want us to be together again. Now I will not be step-mother to some brat."

"Hey-"

"I'm not leaving until I see proof that she's yours. Where's the DNA test?" Katherine asked.

"There isn't one I know for a fact that she is mine. Look at her." Dave said.

"Like I said David. A DNA test."

"Well I don't know who you think you are, thinking you could leave me and then except me to get rid of my daughter just because you want back in. I let you come over here so I could tell you this face to face. I'm not getting back together with you. Plain and simple." Dave smiled at Stella as he ruffed her hair. "And Stella, she's staying right here."

"Bye Ms. Katherine." Stella smiled and waved at the woman. Katherine looked at the teenager and her eyes grew wide with realization. The girl looked just like Dave. If you needed a DNA test to tell that then you were in true denial with yourself. Katherine let her self out.

"God I feel sorry for you." Stella said getting comfortable.

"Why?"

"She annoying. I bet she couldn't do much of anything." Stella said.

"It's off putting the way you do that." Dave said. "The way you can guess people's lives. I don't know what made me fall in love with that woman."

"You know exactly what made you fall in love her don't lie." Stella smiled.

"Stow it kid. Put on a movie or something." Dave said with a smile.

"Anything to avoid the past." Stella shook her head.  
  
"Yup. But seriously, next weekend, if I'm not on a case, you're going to a movie. You're sixteen, you should go out, make friends, get into a little bit of trouble. You certainly earned it."  
  
"I make no promises."

 


	8. Fishing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (revised)

Late April got weird when it's weather didn't know weather it wanted to rain or stay sunny. Stella would still be in school and Dave was with the rest if the team taking a break from the case to rethink their profile when his phone started to go off. "Hello." Dave answered getting up and walking away from the group.

"Mr. Rossi your daughter was in a fight with another student. I'm sorry but we have to suspend her for three days."

"What was the fight about?" Dave asked. Stella was in for this time.

"She and a young man got into a bit of an argument. He said something that upset her, apparently it's been going on for quite some time now and he finally said something to make her snap. True she was provoked, but we have to suspend her for three days. These are the rules that have been set, I'm sorry, Mr. Rossi." The woman said.

"Alright. I cannot come pick her up right now, I can however send someone for her. A Penelope Garcia will be there to get her shortly, but in the mean time may I speak with my daughter?" Dave said. What was wrong with her? She was doing fine until now or maybe this was just delayed reaction.

"Hello."

"Stella, what's the matter kiddo, why are you fighting?" Dave asked. 

"He's been calling me names for weeks." 

"That's no reason to fight him and you know it." Dave pointed out. 

"But that's not all, he calls me names, he talks crap about you and mom. Especially mom. She's not even alive! And it's not fair. I've tried to ignore this, and be good about it but I can't stand it anymore."

"Alright, alright, calm down." There was a bit of sniffling on the other end. His baby girl, was upset. 

"We'll talk about this more later. But in the mean time I'm sending Garcia to get you."

"Alright." he heard Stella sniff.

"I love you Stella."

"Love you too Dad. Bye."

"Bye." Dave hung up and called Garcia and asked her to go and get the younger Rossi. Dave pocketed the phone before going back to the table. 

"Everything okay?" Hotch asked. 

"Stella got into a fight at school." Dave sighed.

"What? Tell me who, I'll straighten his ass out real good." Morgan said. 

"No need Stella did. She's being suspended for three days. I had to call Garcia to go get her." Dave said. "I have an idea as to what part of this might be."

~.o0o.~

When Dave got home on the last day of Stella's suspension he was met with Garcia first. 

"Now, I'm not a parent, and I'm not telling you how to be a parent. But you need to go in there and hug her, and tell her it's okay to cry. She hasn't had the time to grieve for her mom. She went right from one point to another without a break, to even process it all."

"I know, I realized that and I'm going to need your help. But first I want to talk to my daughter." He said. Garcia let him into her place. Stella was on the sofa with the TV on.

"Hey."

"Hey." she replied. 

"So you wanna talk about the other day?" 

"Nope." He cut off the tv, taking up the seat across from her. 

"To bad."

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Well you have to. And I should have paid more attention to realize that you didn't have the chance to deal with all this. You grew up with a sick mother, and watched her fade away only to be shipped off a week later to live with a man you didn't know. Have you even given yourself a chance to cry?" 

"When was I suppose too!?" she shouted. "I was making choices that no sixteen year old should have to make. I don't have any family besides you. All my friends are away. I haven't made any friends besides Kelly and she doesn't even go to my school." Stella ranted. "It's one thing if you have friends to help back you up but I don't. I'm alone, and I hate it. I get weird looks and called out because I'm different! Being a teenager wasn't suppose to be this hard. I wasn't suppose to bury my mom at sixteen." she said as her voice started to crack. "I want to go home, and to have my mom back." She cried. 

Getting up from his seat Dave wrapped Stella in a hug letting her cry. "It's gonna be okay." He said rubbing her back. When it died down, he made her look up. "Fell better kiddo?"

"Yeah." she answered. "It's not that I haven't come to love you and like living with you, but everything I knew and know was gone in a matter of days."

"I understand, Ella." He replied. 

When Garcia came back Dave smiled at her. "Stella go get your stuff."

"Penny, I need you to help me with her. I know you'll be perfect to take her out, show her some fun, she's having trouble making friends at school. I know you'll be able to perk her up, give her some girl time. She never really got to have that kind of time with her mother and she tells me her friends were boys, from her band. Besides she's at a special age, things are changing. You know teenage things." 

"So you mean I get another fairy god child?"

"Yes, so to speak."

~.o0o.~

It was early mid May when the phone rang Dave and the rest of the team were getting a four-day weekend. They had just spent the past week tracking a man from Kansas to New York. Not an easy feet for any of them but the unsub sure seemed to manage.

Dave was looking forward to getting away just him, his dog and his daughter Stella. But he still had to finish his paper work. His phone rang. "Hello?"

"Yes this is Mr. Seabert, I'm the music teacher your daughter Stella is in my class." He said. 

"Alright."

"Yes well Mr. Rossi there is an up coming music competition that a lot of students get into. I was hoping your daughter would participate but she doesn't seem to want to. I'm also very much aware that she is still having a hard time making friends and maybe this will be an eye opener to them." Seabert told him. "She shows promising talent she was in here but last week with her guitar playing."

"I'll talk to her about it. Thank you." Rossi hung up. He had never heard Stella play before. She had a small amp but she didn't use it unless Dave wasn't home. He could see her now sliding in the dining room in her best rock start outfit guitar in hand and playing some heavy metal.

"Hey kiddo." Dave said as Stella climbed in the car. "Lets go I got stuff to do and It's not homework." Stella smiled.

"I don't even get a 'Hi, Dad'?"

"Hi dad." She smiled before leaning over to kiss his cheek.

"I heard that there's a music contest. You in it?"

"No. It wouldn't be the same if the guys weren't there, it's more fun with them around." Stella sank into her seat a bit further.

"Shame, I wanted to hear you play. I never really get to hear you and the team's taking a bit of a break, the other team is being sent out for a while, they're lazy and don't get out nearly as much as we do." Dave explained.

"You know it's not to late for me to sign up. I can sign up tomorrow." Stella said. "The show is next Friday night."

"I look forward to it." Rossi inwardly smiled.

Dave was happy with himself but now that he had gotten Stella to join the contest he was worried about because she locked herself in her room. You could hear constant plucking and growls of frustration coming from the other side of the door. 

"Dad get away from the door." Stella told him.

Dave backed off.

By that Friday Stella was up ready and nervous. She hadn't slept much the night before. She was determined to make this a good one. Stella was bouncing with joy as she saw her father get a seat. There were twenty-eight people in the contest and she was number fourteen.

There was a verity of singers in the show. From rap to country to indie. Stella was introduced and pulled on her guitar and ripped into the first note. She had a track of other instruments. She sang every word and played Monster by Skillet.

When the show finally ended Stella got her guitar and met her old man outside along with the others. "Did great kid." Dave hugged Stella the ruffled her hair. 

"I'm just glad you made it." She smiled at him. Hugging her father Stella bounced a bit as they talked about heading out for dinner. For a better part of the night they talked about where and why Stella took up music.

~.o0o.~

Stella Got into the car glaring at her father. It was six in the morning on a Saturday. Whatever happened to sleeping in? Mudgie was sitting in the back seat with his head out the window.

Stella slept the entire way up to the lake. They were going to be meeting Dave's friend and his son for the day to go fishing. An hour or so later the sun was up and Dave was pulling into a parking spot his friend was already there and Stella was passed out in the passenger seat resting on the car door.

"Hey Dave." Mike said. 

"So where's this daughter of yours you can't seem to stop talking about?"

"Sleeping in the car. Your kid?"

"Same. If we're gonna catch anything we better get them up." Mike said walking over to his car while Dave knocked on the window that Stella currently had her face hanging on. 

"What is wrong with you?" Stella groaned as she climbed out of the car.

"Come on Stell."

"Freak Face." Mike's son said.

"Momma's boy." Stella glared. 

"Hey, hey, hey what's this about?"

"Remember that fight I got into? It was that kid I beat up." Stella told him. 

"Wait, this is the girl who kicked your as-butt?" Mike said. 

"So this is the kid that was picking of you?" Dave looked at his daughter.

"One of them. I was going to go for the one who really started it but he's slow on the run." Stella explained. 

"I don't care what happened by the end of today you two are going to be civil to each other." Mike said.

"Hey Dad, this is great time for me to learn drive you know." Stella had a wicked grin on her face.

"No, but I'll teach you how to fish." Dave said. 

"No fun what so ever." Stella gave up in defeat. 

"Eh. Come on Mudgie." Dave and Mike grabbed the gear and started to walk down the lane to get to the perfect spot. They were spaced out a good fifteen feet from each other. Dave had taught Stella how to cast her line and how to wait.

"Stella try to catch dinner for tonight or breakfast for tomorrow." Dave smiled at her. 

Mike left his line in a shallow hole in the ground with a little bell to notify him if something was biting. "Stella seems like a pretty good kid." Mike said.

"She's odd. But I love her anyway I mean she gets good grades, does her chores when we're home, takes the dog out for walks. I'm a happy father." Dave chuckled.

"Wish I could say the same for Dean. He just got off punishment for failing his math midterm. Kids are the strangest things on the face of the earth. Hard to believe we use to be their age at times." Mike laughed.

"My father was never my age he was born at the age of fifty and went from there." Stella appeared behind them. 

"Stella what have I told you about sneaking up on me?"

"That I should stop trying to give you a heart attack. That and I should learn to walk heavier." Stella smiled.

"She sounds just like you." Mike smirked. "What do you need Stell?"

"Food."

"In the basket on the back seat. Bring me a sandwich too, please." Dave called over his shoulder.

Two hours went by and nothing had been caught over five pounds. "This is terrible." Dean said hanging his head. "Well it could be worse. It could be raining." Stella said.

"Good point. Hey, you got a bite." Dean said putting his pole down to go help Stella.

"Come on bring it in." Dean encouraged. 

"Dad come here." Stella smiled as she brought in a nice ten-pound catfish.

"Nice one kiddo. We're eating good tonight." Dave told her. "Nice catch." Dean said.

"Thanks."

"Hey Stella, I'm sorry about what I said at school to you. Can we be pals, I guess?" Dean held out his hand. 

"Sure." Stella shook his hand.

"Alright guys let's get out of here." Mike called. "Well I see you at lunch on Monday I guess." Dean said.

"No I don't eat school lunch. Dad packs me one and I hide in the library when I eat it."

"Okay. I'll see you around then. Bye Stella." Dean ran to catch up with his father while Dave stayed behind with Mudgie who decided it was a good time to take a piddle. 

"He's your dog Dad." Stella said shaking her head. Dave smiled at the girl as Mudgie came running forward.

"Come on we're having fish for dinner and your gonna learn how to clean it." Dave smiled

"What? No way in the world. No. Never."

"Then go hungry."

"That's cold."


	9. No safe place

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Revised

Stella and Dean were okay friends after that weekend. She and Kelly were still signing whenever they were at Stella's of Kelly's. Spring was calm for the most part Dave was sadly sent on a case during spring break so Stella spent it with Garcia making cookies and watching movies in their down time. Stella couldn't wait for Dave to come home. As long and he didn't have any holes in him she was okay with it even when the team seemed to be on case, after case for a good month. Mike and Dean were taking Stella to school. Dave had to go in early for something that needed his attention and couldn't wait so Mike agreed to drop the younger Rossi off at school. They were taking their finals so they would start summer break in a few days. She couldn't wait to get back home to see her friends. 

Her cell phone started ringing, as the school bus horn outside sounded off. 

"Morning, Dad." She greeted as she punched in the code for the security alarm. "Yes, the bus just pulled up, I'm walking out the door. I will be home later this afternoon and I will call you. Yes. Yes, Alright. Yes, Daddy it's just one night without you and I know I'm safe inside the house." She laughed.

"Bye Dad." 

~.o0o.~

Rossi, Morgan and Reid had gone off to speak at a seminar for the crime division of a college three states away.

Rossi saw Reid and Morgan giving him a look.

"Stop it." 

"You are such a Dad." Morgan teased the senior agent. 

"I worry about her. Especially right now, she'll be home by herself tonight, my neighbor is away and his daughter is staying with family. That and in the last few weeks houses have been getting broken into." He explained. 

"I told myself I would trust her to start being by herself. "She's turning Seventeen, I have to trust that she'll be alright, and that the world and people aren't as entirely messed as I know it to be."

It was he world he didn't trust, not his daughter. 

~.o0o.~

Since it was the last day of school kids took their time getting home. Many of them ditching the bus and getting rides from friends. Hopping off the bus at the corner Stella frowned when she noticed a electric company truck. She also saw Mrs. Hanson walking her dog. 

"Mrs. Hanson, what's going on?" she asked. "The power is out on the whole block, one of the transformers went out."

"Thank you." Stella smiled at her before heading on into the house. She still had a battery on her phone, there was a full charge on her ipod. Letting herself into the house Stella frowned when Mudgie didn't come running up to her. 

"If you're in Daddy's bed you're in so much trouble." She said running up the stairs dropping her bag at the foot on her way up. Running into her dad's room Stella frowned when she saw two men wearing electrical company uniforms. Turning around to run Stella backed away when the door was pushed closed by a third man. One of the first two grabbed her. There was no way to take on the three of them without getting hurt. 

The one who'd been closest grabbed her, pulling her arms behind her back and using a belt to secure her wrists while a bandanna was shoved into her mouth and tied around the back on her head before she was thrown in the corner. 

They weren't kidnappers. They were killers, they were robbers, nothing more. Least for the current moment. 

"well don't sit there like an idiot, look him up." One said. 

Using one of their phones they started to look up David Rossi. "This man's loaded!" Three shouted.

One looked at her. He started giving off orders to the other two to start putting a new plan into action. Come over One dropped down in front of her. "Look at me."

Stella frowned but kept her gaze in the other direction. Growling One, grabbed her chin forcing her to look him in the eyes. "You don't cause any trouble and we'll be just fine. You'r daddy will pay for you and you'll be on your way before you know it. Now get up." He said

~.o0o.~

"Why do you keep checking your phone?" Morgan questioned. 

"BEcause Stella got out of school almost two hours ago and hasn't called me." Dave answered.

"Give her a break, she probably went out for ice cream with some of the kids from school. The shop by her school is doing a summer break deal on sundaes, I was going to go." Reid said. 

"You're probably right." he said. 

They were coming home a day early, swinging by Quantico to see the others, maybe had out for drinks, since a new case hadn't shown up. Just as they were coming off the elevator Garcia walked by them with her usual cheery smile. "Come along my lovelies, I've got cupcakes." She smiled. 

Reid fell right into step with her while Rossi and Morgan followed along. 

In the break conference room the other were already there enjoying chips and juice. A mini party for no good reason. After a good half hour The senior agent's phone started to ring. "Finally," He said, "Stella what took you so long?"

"MR. Rossi." One smiled into the phone.

"What is this? Who are you?"

All eyes in the room turned to the agent.

"You don't get to ask questions Mr. Rossi. You get to follow my orders. I will call back in one hour."

Before he could say anything the line cut.

"Dave?" Hotch called.

"Someone has Stella. They kidnapped Stella." He said.

~.o0o.~

"Give the girl some water." One order Four. 

As soon and the bandanna came off Stella snapped her jaws at the man's hands. "He's not going to pay you." She told him. "He'll do something to you but he sure as hell won't pay you." 

~.o0o.~

"You're not talking me into letting someone else handle this, Aaron." 

"I'm not. But like you've told me about keeping a level head. I need you to do the same. So take a deep breath for me and lets get the others to talk a game plan." Hotch told him. 

"Alright. We have thirty six minutes before they call back with their demands. Have Garcia start getting ready to trace the call. I want my girl home." he said. 

"And we'll bring her home." 

~.o0o.~

"I'm hungry." Stella said, watching the men eat. 

"To bad." three replied.

"My dad still isn't going to pay you."

"Someone shut her up." One ordered. 

Four came back over to tied her mouth again. When he couldn't get a grip on her to do so he struck her.

"Hey, hey!" One said. "She's no good to us if you beat her black and blue."

"I'll do more than beat her if she doesn't behave." 

One kneeled before her. "Time to call Daddy again."

~.o0o.~

"Ready Garcia?"

"Yeah." She answered her fingers clicking across the keys.

"Mr. Rossi, its been one hour, and I've got your little girl."

"I want to hear from her." He demanded. 

"Fair enough but then you listen to my demands." One told him. "Behave." he told her as he took the cloth from her mouth.

"Daddy?"

"I'm here, Kiddo. I need you to hold tight, and we'll bring you home, I promise."

"I'm scared, Dad." she admitted. Stella felt stupid for admitting it, but it as true. The situation scared her, and by admitting it they knew they had power over the situation. Just because they weren't murders doesn't mean they couldn't become murderers.

That made his heart clench. 

"The reunion is over Mr. Rossi. My demands are as stands, Quarter of a million dollars in small bills, an armored vehicle and a clear path to a plane that is going to take us south of the border."

"Alright," He looked to Garcia who gave him a thumbs up. 

"I'll be calling in one hour to check on you in the morning. After I call you then, every hour that it takes to get these things will result in giving your sweet little girl some bruises." The line cut off.

"I traced it back to a house in a shady area, mostly abandoned warehouses, half done office buildings."

It was a restless night for the team. Four ruffle bags were full of paper and the plan was set. the call traced to one building, Garcia even managed to get the correct floor. 

~.o0o.~

"Wake up!" A steel tow boot connected with her side. Stella sat up quickly not wanting around kick to find her. 

"Time to call dear old dad." he said. 

Answering the phone Rossi listened.

"Did you get what we asked for?"

"I want to hear from my daughter first." He demanded.

"You don't understand how this works. I have your daughter, and I will start to hurt her, if you don't come through with what I asked for."

"You're not killers, you're not crazy criminals. You're just some thieving punks who saw a chance and took it. Face it kid, you're in over your heads." He told them.

The man on the other end growled into the phone. Stella watched him from where she was on the floor as he ended the call. He instantly turned to her. "You're Dad isn't as smart as he thinks he is." HE said as he smacked her hard across the face. 

She bit her tongue this time, not giving him the satisfaction of hearing her cry out. "If he doesn't get to you first, Morgan and Hotch will." she replied after a few minutes. 

One waited until the next hour before calling Rossi again. They'd already readied a team, now all they needed was for them to split up. Rossi stood with the bags before him Reid and JJ with him. Hotch, Morgan and Emily were making their way around the back of the building to get in. 

"Two just came out." JJ informed the others.

"There could still be one or two more with Stella. 

~.o0o.~

"On your feet." Four said pulling Stella to her feet. When she stumbled he jerked her by the ropes on her wrists. 

They moved into position, the radios they had between them, keeping ears to the situation. 

Outside Rossi frowned as the two approached going right for the 'money'. Moving forward he placed himself between the men and the money. 

"My daughter, where is she?"

"You'll get her after we get the money." One answered. 

"That is not how the deal works." 

"Rossi's stalling for time. Have you got them yet?" JJ asked.

"We do." Hotch answered. 

"Move in." 

"Drop the gun!" Morgan ordered as he came into sight. 

Pulling Stella along the man started to go down the stairs calling orders to Three to get the engine going.

One and Two tried to make a break for it, only to get stopped by police units. Inside Three was still trying to get Stella down the stairs, miss stepping he tripped down the flight pulling Stella with him. 

"Stella!" Hotch called out as he saw her prone form at the bottom of the flight. Emily and Morgan were right behind him the fallen man now hurt from his fall. Emily went to Stella. 

"Don't move her, she hit her head on the way down." Hotch ordered. 

There was blood matting the right side of her head.


	10. Forgotten

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't complian about grammer or me getting a beta unless you want to sign yourself to the task.

Dave sat by the hospital bed watching his daughter sleep. Stella hadn't woken up since she was knocked out yesterday. Stella had a few cuts and bruises and a sprained wrist that would be better in a few days. "Dave you should go home and get some sleep. She's gonna need you when she wakes up." Hotch pointed out.

"We'll call you if she wakes up." the nurse nodded at him. Hotch drove Dave back to his house, once he was alone he dropped his head into his hands and sighed. This wasn't suppose to happen. Not to him. Not to any of them. 

~.o0o.~

It was early dawn when Stella woke up. She sat up right in her bed, he hand pressing to the aching side of her head. How did I get here? Why am I here? Stella thought to herself. Her mind was fuzzy and she couldn't remember anything. She didn't remember her own name. Stella climbed out of bed and walked into the darkened hallway. The lights were dimmed, the curtains drawn, the chill made her wrap her arms around herself, as the smell caused her to crunch up her nose. 

Stella walked past open and closed doors. "Come here dear." a voice called out to her. Stella backed up and saw a woman sitting in a hospital bed. "What are you doing up?" the woman was older about sixty or so. "What are you doing up?" Stella asked. "Good point. Come sit with me the sun is about to raise and from this point it is a beautiful sight." the woman had Stella sit in the empty chair.

As they waited for the sun to begin it's start the woman watched the girl before her. "What is your name dear?"

"I don't know. I woke up and I couldn't remember it. I don't remember anything." she told her. They watched as the sun came up. The hospital began to come to life again. "I think it's time we get you back to where you belong." The woman pulled herself out of bed and took hold of her cane as they made their way to where Stella had come from.

"What did you mean you don't know? How do you lose a teenager?" Dave asked. "Dave." Hotch tapped the man on the shoulder and pointed to the woman and beside her Stella. The woman walked up to them with Stella behind her now.

"I believe she's what you are looking for. Take care of her now." The woman left waving good-bye to Stella as a nurse escorted her back to her room. "Stella you okay?" Dave asked as he wrapped his arms around his daughter. Pushing away from him she frowned up at the man. "Is that my name? Who are you?" she asked.

"Stella now is not the time to play games." Dave said. "I'm not playing. Is that my name?" She asked again.

"Allow me to examine her and get a second opinion." The doctor said, directing Stella into her room and to the bed. After talking to Stella and making sure she was okay with it they ran a few tests before the the doctor and the neurologist came back out of the room. 

"Mr. Rossi your daughter is suffering from Retrograde amnesia the loss of pre-existing memories to conscious recollection, beyond an ordinary degree of forgetfulness. She may be able to memorize new things that occur after the onset of amnesia unlike in anterograde amnesia, but is unable to recall some or all of their life or identity prior to the onset." Sensing the father's next question he continued, "She can regain her memory with time. But that is the key word here, time. Take every day slowly take her places she's been before the accident." The man explained.

"Thank you. When can I take her home?" Rossi asked. "There is nothing prolonging her stay here so she can go home once the papers are signed and I've given the final check. You'll have to get her some clothes they have yet to return her old ones." the man said.

"Thank you." Dave and Hotch started down the hallway to leave again. "Dave she'll be fine. She's stubborn like you are this won't hold her down. She'll get it back Dave." Hotch told him. "I hope you're right?"

~.o0o.~

Stella put on the clothes that had been left to her. They were clean but had a hole in the pant leg and the sleeve on the shirt was torn. Once dressed Stella slipped out of her room. As Stella was walking toward the door Dave was walking back in alone. "Stella where are you going?" he stopped her.

"I honestly don't know. But I don't know you, I know I'm in Virginia. I just want out of this damn hospital already, I hate it."

"Do you know where your parents are? Or even what they look like?" Dave asked. The man had a point, she thought. "How about this we talk a bit and then we'll see what happens. I just have to take care of something real quick." Dave said. They went back up to the floor where they had kept Stella and signed her out before heading for to the cafeteria. 

"So who are you? You keep calling me Stella so it's safe to say that's my name." she said.

"My name is David Rossi. Your name is Stella Rossi." Dave explained.

"So are we related or do we just share the same last name?" Stella asked. "We're related. In fact you're my daughter." Dave said. "Well if your my father where's my mother?" she asked. "That's the where things get complicated kiddo."

"What are you gay? I have two dad's instead? Was that other guy with you your husband? I'm with the whole love who you will thing."

"No. That was actually my boss and friend. But I'll talk about that later. How do you know you're okay with same sex couples if you don't remember?"

Stella stopped for a minute to think it through. "I'm okay with it. More than, it's just love. Why can;t you love who you will? So about my mother."

Dave told her the whole story of how she came to be with him. Stella sat quietly and listened to Dave talk. "She loved you very much and you loved her." 

Stella blinked back the tears in her eyes and took in a deep breath. "I'm sorry Stella." Dave apologized. "No, thank you for telling me about this." she said with a sniffle. "Sucks because I don't remember her face, or her voice." Stella said. A growling stomach broke the silence between them. "Alright here are some clothes for you to put on. Go in the bathroom and get changed then we'll go grab something to eat and I'll take you home." Dave told her.

Stella met Dave back in the lobby a few minutes later ready to go. She was hungry and couldn't wait any longer. They stopped for pizza. "Mine taste better." Dave smiled.

"You can make pizza?" She asked. "Yes. We're Italian and your grandmother and grandfather are straight from Italy."

"Really?" Stella smiled.

"We have quite a bit of fun in the kitchen. This past Christmas we baked cookies and had a flour fight. I taught you how to make your own noodles. You like doing that." Dave said. "Could we maybe make dinner tonight?" Stella asked.

"We can do that but we have to clean the kitchen out first. A lot in the kitchen went bad while were we looking for you." Dave said. "I want you to have a nap though. You don't need to over do it." "I feel fine, Dave." He had to trust her to made her own judgments. "Okay, but if you started to feel sick, or lightheaded, you tell me." "Deal." "Anything look familiar?" Dave asked. "No."

"Don't push yourself to remember it'll come back on it's own." Dave told her as they soon pulled into the driveway. "Come on I know someone who has missed you very much." Dave said with a smiled as he opened the front door. Mudgie came running out of the house and jumped on Stella licking her face and hands.

"Hey there fella. What's your name?" Dave frowned. For a moment he felt as if the old Stella had been back and that the last few days had been nothing but a horrible dream. One of those nightmares he wanted to forget where everything could go back to normal. " His name is Mudgie, come on you two."

This was going to be the new starting point. "Stella you feeling tired at all?" Dave asked. "No. I'm fine. Lets get the kitchen cleaned up for dinner tonight." Stella said. "You sure you don't want a tour of the house?" Dave asked her. "I wanna try and find my way around later. Don't think it'll be that hard." Stella told him.

"Okay."

They worked in the kitchen till around mid afternoon. The fridge was empty and clean of well everything. "We'll have to go shopping." Dave said shaking his head. He turned around to see Stella yawning and rubbing her eyes. "Go take a nap, Stell, you're not missing anything I promise." Dave smiled as the teen got up and went to the stairs. Mudgie led the way up and into Stella's room where the two crashed on her bed.

The phone rang a while later Stella was still taking a nap upstairs. "Hello?"

"Oh hi, Mr. Rossi. It's Paul I was wondering if I could talk to Stella? She hasn't been answering her phone." he said. He had forgotten her friends. "Paul, Stella's taking a nap right now. She's had a trying couple of days." Dave said.

"She okay?"

"For the most part." Dave explained what happened to Paul. Well bits and pieces of it and Stella's amnesia. "Take care of her for us. She's like our sister." Paul said. Dave replied and said good-bye when he heard a door open and close. Stella came down the stairs. "Sleep well?"

The dark haired teen nodded.

"Alright go get your shoes so we can go shopping for dinner or else we're going hungry tonight." Dave said. "Alright." Stella perked up and ran up the stairs again. "Okay, you're going to have to help me out here." Dave said.

"What can I do to help?"

"Be the DJ. Play with the radio hook up your ipod, something kid. I need something to drive to you usually take care of that for me." Dave smiled. "Fine, fine." Stella pulled out the ipod and started to flick through a few of the songs before picking one she thought would be good and set it to play.

"That's perfect kiddo." Dave smiled and Stella beamed.

As they walked into the store with Stella pushing the cart Dave realized her hadn't made a list. "Well kiddo looks like we're winging this trip. Lets go this way then we'll go buy some cereal." Dave said.

Stella was looking at something else and not paying attention to her father Dave picked up and orange. "Stella think fast." He said tossing the orange sphere at her. "Don't throw food at me." She smiled.

"I'm a parent I can do whatever I please. So don't tell me what to do." Dave said. "Now start bagging." Dave said grabbing a few more and tossing them her way. He did the same with apples. Stella had her turn when she threw a peach at her father.

"Lucky you caught it." She frowned.

"It comes with years of practice." Dave smiled as he ruffled the teen's hair. "So what's for dinner this week?" Dave asked looking at some possibilities.

"How about we try this jambalaya mix?" Stella suggested.

"Alright. Grab two boxes you have a tendency to eat a lot." Dave told her. "Yeah and I'm not the one with the gut now am I?" Stella said poking Dave in the stomach.

"Hey, that comes with age I'll have you know." He said smacking her hand away.

"Oh please. How about soup and sandwiches for dinner this week." Stella suggested. "I could go for it." Dave agreed. They continued around with their shopping. Dave looked at Stella as they sat in the check out line.

"Hey kiddo, how do you feel about a road trip?" Dave asked.

"To where? I swear, if you say the Grand Canyon, I'm going to hurt you." Stella threatened.

"No, I was thinking more along the lines of your home town in Massachusetts. Maybe it'll help. You have a few friends up there who miss you very much." Dave said.

"But I don't know them anymore. It wouldn't be the same anymore." Stella told her father. "And there's no harm in going. Or who knows maybe between now and the last two weeks of August you'll remember something." Dave told her.

"Alright. But if I get to freaked out, we turn right back around and come home." Stella told him.

Dave nodded. "We'll take as long as you need." Stella smiled and put the bags into the cart.


	11. cookout, meltdowns, and swim suits?

Kelly and Stella were sitting in the living room playing cards on the floor. Dave had enlisted Frank and his daughter Kelly to help. Kelly was patience with Stella in trying to teach her sign language all over again. July forth was approaching. The last two cases Dave had since brought Stella back after she had been kidnapped he left her with Kelly and her father didn't mind.

Kelly was the happiest she had been in a long while. The phone started ringing. "Don't any body more or anything. Dave said hauling himself up. "It's your cell phone." Stella told him. "Fine." Dave's answered his phone.

"Yeah."

"Hey Dave. It's Aaron."

"I know who you are now the question is why are you calling me?" Dave asked.

"The Fourth of July picnic in this weekend so I'm calling you to come and bring Stella. Just come to the picnic Garcia has a knife to my throat and is threatening to kidnap Jack forever." Hotch said. Dave rolled his eyes. "We both know that's not true."

"Yeah well you should come and bring Stella. Get her out of the house and help her with that promise you made her about filling that photo album. Come on we miss her too. Jack and Henry will be there and so will the others. Either do it or we take you by force." Hotch told him.

"So what time do you want us there?" Dave asked. Hotch gave him the time and the park they would be at.

"Hey Stella guess what we're doing tomorrow?" Dave asked. "What?"

"We're going to a barbeque with the people I work with. It's a picnic type thing for the Forth of July." Dave said. "Sweet. Hey wait how do you just up and win like that?" Stella looked at Kelly. "I can't believe you just beat me at cards." Stella said.

Yeah well you should have paid better attention.

~.o0o.~

Saturday rolled around in no time. Dressed in shorts and t-shirt Stella was ready to go, as was Dave who had to be out of his mind for wearing jeans. "Something is wrong with you." Stella had told him as he walked out the front door. "Get in the car." Dave shook his head.

"Come on Mudgie. Daddy's lost his mind." Stella said putting the dog in the back seat before climbing into the front seat. "Now remember the people I told you I work with are like a family? There are honorary members of this family Hotch's son Jack, JJ's son Henry and her husband Will and you." Dave said.

They soon arrived at the park. Children and dogs ran about, Parents and co-workers talked and grilled. They got out the car and Ave handed Stella the bags containing hotdogs, hamburgers and buns while taking Mudgie's leash. "Rossi." Morgan called over to the older man. "Hey Morgan. Stella this is Derek Morgan. Don't let him sweet talk you." Dave said.

"Oh come on Rossi." Morgan laughed. "Stella!" Garcia shrieked as he attacked the younger Rossi with a crushing hug. "Air. Air. I need air." Stella gasped. Garcia let up on the hug and look at the girl. "Stella this is Garcia. Over there the blonde woman is JJ her husband will is the one holding the baby. The dark haired woman you see is Emily. Reid is the one sitting on the ground and the man over there throwing the ball with the boy is Hotch and his son Jack." Dave said.

Stella nodded. "Come on angel cake we don't bite. But we are hungry." Garcia smiled. "Hey Stella." Emily greeted her.

Stella frowned inwardly. They knew her but she couldn't remember any of them. They had been part of her life yet she couldn't remember any of them. "Why don't you go play fetch with Mudgie for a while." Dave suggested rather then asked. "Okay. Come on boy lets get you off this leash." Stella unhooked the dog. Stella threw the ball and the lab took off for it with Stella in tow.

"So how are things going?" Morgan asked. "So far so good. Kelly is teaching her sign language all over again. Stella's picking it up quickly. Yesterday I found her asleep in the back yard with Mudgie and some books. She hasn't gone near her guitar yet." Dave said. "But she looks like and sounds like the same girl." Emily said.

"That's just it. She looks and acts like the same Stella but she doesn't remember because it'd holding her back. She's won't go near her guitar and I miss hearing her practice and cursing under her breath when she thinks I'm not listening. I'm going to take her back to Burlington to visit her friends and home town see if it'll help." Dave said.

"It'll get better Dave." Reid said. He watched the young man get up and walk over to Stella and take the ball from her and threw it as far as he could while sprouting facts about lord knows what. Stella came running over to him with a smile on her face. "Did you know-"

"Stop right there I already know what your about to tell me. Whatever useless fact Spencer just told you." Dave said. "No fun."

"Cousin Stella!" Jack screamed as he attacked the girl with a hug. Hotch hadn't explained what happened with Stella to Jack. How do you tell a six your old their adopted cousin doesn't know them anymore? Stella frowned as she watched Jack smiled up at her. "What's wrong Stella?" Dave asked.

"Nothing I'm going to go get Mudgie." Stella jogged away to go find the dog. "Daddy what's wrong with Stella?"

"Come on buddy we're going to go have a talk." Hotch said picking the boy up.

Stella sat with Mudgie under a tree. "Why did it have to me who forgot everything? They all know who I am and yet I can't remember them. I want to know them But want to know them as I remember them. Dad told me so much about myself already but what about my secrets? What about my childhood and my others friends if I ever had any? It's not fair." Stella told the dog.

"You can't even understand me." Mudgie licked her face. "Like I thought. Come on it's lunch time." Stella said leading the dog back over tot the group. The table was full so Stella found her self on a blanket with Clooney (Morgan's dog), Reid and Emily. "Clooney put my hotdog down." Stella said chasing after the hound.

"I told her watch her plate." Dave said remembering the year before when Clooney had Hotch's hamburger. "But it's funny." Morgan laughed until he found himself chasing Mudgie who was making off with his hotdog. Rossi stood and took the camera off the table and began to snap pictures of Stella and Morgan chasing to the two dogs around. He took pictures of the others at the table smiling and laughing.

As the night wore on plates were cleared away and a game of soccer had started. The girls against the boys. Girls winning thanks to two very loveable dogs even if they did steal your food. They set out to find the perfect spot to watch the fireworks. "It doesn't get much better then this." Will said kissing JJ and then Henry.

"Here Jack this is the only time you can sit on top of the car." Hotch said sitting his son on the roof. "Getting ready to start." Reid said jumping up from the blanket. They watched the show like many others and when it had finally ended they headed home. Dave passed Stella the camera.

"You took pictures?" Stella asked going through them.

"Yup. This past Christmas you gave me an empty photo album and said you wanted to fill it with pictures of us to make up for all the time we had missed together. So today I took as many pictures as possible." Stella leaned over and kissed the man's cheek.

"Thanks Dad." Stella smiled as she showed the pictures to Mudgie.

Stella and Dave went to bed as soon as they got home. It had been a long day but a good one. It was perfect. Dave rolled over to find extra weight on his bed. Mudgie was at the foot of it and Stella was tucked under the covers fast asleep. Dave simply went back to sleep. He was too tired to wake her and he couldn't carry her.

"Night Stella."

~.o0o.~

It was a hot streak for the next after that. Stella went out with Kelly for the most part. Kelly was her age and lived with her own single father. Her mother and father had divorced cause of something her mother had done. She now lived with her father to go to the school that was helping her.

Kelly had other friends from her school and went with them sometimes. Kelly had invited Stella to go to the pool with her but Stella was forced to decline. Stella had no bathing suit and she knew asking her dad he'd flip out just thinking about it. It was just about as bad as asking your father to take you underwear shopping or putting a pack of tampons into the shopping cart. It didn't happen. She was thankful her father had such great friends in his three female co-workers. They would pick her up what she needed and Stella was always grateful.

Stella took out her phone and rang up Garcia. "Hey Penni. I need a favor."

"Anything my Sweet One."

"I need to go bathing suit shopping. I searched my clothes and I don't have one. My friend invited me to go to the pool with her and I'm stuck. You know I can't ask Daddy."

"Don't worry. I'll be there in one hour to get you. We can make it a girls day out I'll call JJ and Emily and see what their up to. You up for it?" Garcia asked. "Okay. I'll see you in an hour." Stella hung up. "Who were you on the phone with?"

"Garcia. She's going to pick me up in an hour so we can go do some girly things." Stella smiled. "I'm not going to ask you just better not be getting her to sneak you off to see some boy."

"If there was a boy I wouldn't remember the poor sap." Stella smiled at her father. "Okay." An hour later Garcia knocked on the door and Stella called her good-bye to her father and dashed out the door. JJ and Emily were waiting inside of Ester. "This is going to be fun. I need a new one too." Emily smiled. "I don't even have a pair of short and a top I could wear into the pool." Stella said.

"Well we'll sort this all out. It'll be a good chance for us to bond together again." Garcia smiled as they went to the mall. "I think a nice bikini will do." Garcia smiled.

"Do we want my father to kill me?" Stella asked sarcastically. "How about a nice tankini. That way Dave won't go all father like when he sees you wearing it." JJ suggested. They started looking around for a few. Garcia found the most colorful bathing suit ever. Emily found a nice blue one. JJ came back with one with a red top and black shorts. Stella found a nice purple one.

"Okay go try them on you two." Garcia said pushing Emily and Stella into dressing rooms. Emily came out first. "You my Darling look awesome."

"Nice." JJ commented.

"Come on out of there Sweet One." Garcia said. "This is weird." Stella stepped out of the changing room. Stella was thin in fact when she had gone to the doctors earlier that year she was under weight by six pounds. You would think as much as the teenager ate she'd weight a bit more.

"I think it looks good."

"It's rubbing me the wrong way. Feel like a sausage." Stella said. The shorts are fine but the top not so much. And I've tried all the tops." Stella said. "We could get a bikini top to go with it and you could wear a tank top over it. Anything bigger is going to be a waste of time because it will ride up." JJ explained.

"I think I know just the one." Garcia went off to get the top. "Emily that one looks good on you." Stella smiled. "Then this is the one for me." Emily smiled as she went to change back into her clothes. Garcia gave Stella a half-tankini top. It stopped at her breastbone and left the rest of her abdomen open. It was perfect and the short went well because they were black.

"Thank you guys so much." Stella hugged them. "It's okay Stella we're happy to help. Get you out of the house some so you can go hang out with your friends." JJ said.

When they let Stella back out at Home Dave was sitting in the room watching the football game. "So what you get?" Dave asked looking over his shoulder. "Nothing girl stuff." Stella said. "Stella you can tell you old man I'm not going to lock you in a closet."

"We went bathing suit shopping." before Dave could even reply Stella spoke "See I knew you'd freak out about it." She said.

"I didn't freak out. I didn't even say anything. But judging by the way your acting your judging how I might react to the bathing suit. Just tell me this much are you showing off anything that you shouldn't be and was it approved?" Dave asked.

"Yes. Garcia helped pick it out. It's safe for me to wear." Stella said. Dave nodded. Two days later Stella was walking out the front door with a small beach bag and wearing jean shorts and a regular tank top. "I'll be back in a little while Daddy. I'm hitting the pool with Kelly today." She said. "How you getting there?"

"Mr. Frank is dropping us off." She said. Dave nodded and watched from the window as she got into the car with Kelly and waved back at her father who she guessed was waiting into the window.

Three hours later Dave got a phone call. "Hey Dave can you go pick up the girls I'm stuck here at work and it's about to rain soon and it looks like a bad one?" Dave agreed and looked out his office window. He closed it to save his casework and grabbed his keys to go get the girls. But they had already started to walk home.

Still wearing their bathing suits rather then soaking their clothes they wore them home and tried jogging in their flip flops. Dave saw them just before the rain grew to heavy. "They climbed into the back seat. "Hi Daddy. Thank you so much." Stella smiled as she leaned over the seat to kiss Dave's cheek. "That is not your bathing suit. Tell me that is not your bathing suit." Dave turned in the seat.

"Yes."

"You're never leaving the house again." Dave said throwing the car into drive and going back home. The conversation continued later on that night when Kelly had gone home.

"What's wrong with my suit. It's not as bad as what one girl was wearing. She was asking to get knocked up. Guys wouldn't come within ten feet of me. Ask Kelly." Stella put on the puppy dog eyes. "No that's not working on me." Dave protested. "But Daddy this is not nearly as bad. No where near close."

"I said no Stella."

"I wish I knew who my mother was and that she was till alive you're being impossible about it." Stella told him. "Well I'm sorry to say Stella but I'm all you got left and what I say goes and that bathing is going in the trash." He said. Stella stomped off to her room and slammed the door. Being a parent wasn't easy and for the most part Stella was no trouble but there was bound to be a bump in the road.

Mudgie looked at him. "You mad at me too?" the dog turned away from him and went to comfort Stella. Dave picked up the phone to call Hotch. "Yeah Dave?"

"I what do you do when you have an argument with Jack?" he asked.

"You and Stella had it out? About what?" Hotch asked. "Her bathing suit." Dave said.

"Wait didn't you say your next door neighbor had a daughter Stella's age. I'm sure he must have gone through a similar problem with his daughter. I have a six year old son I don't count for the parental advice you need." Hotch said.

"Right. Thanks."

"Anytime."

Dave called Frank. When he explained everything Frank laughed. "That's not really as bad as it could be. You have to trust your kids and with your situation you're lucky it's not worse. I'm my work I've seen teens have to go from one parent to another and I'm the one who watches them come in beat up and in trouble with the law." Frank explained. "Give her a little while to cool down then go talk to her."

"Thanks Frank." Dave said. "No problem."

Dave waited another hour before going upstairs to Stella's room. "Stella can we talk?"

"I don't see what the point is you've made up your mind." She told him. "Stella give me a break here kid. I'm a new parent. If I had a son this might not be as complicated." He said.

"Well you don't have a son you have a daughter. Sorry I'm not the gender you had always hoped for." she snapped back.

"That's not what I mean Stell. Come on open the door and hear me out." Dave said. Stella got up and opened the door.

"I love you just the way you are. I don't wish to change a single thing about you. I was just being over protective. You can't blame me. With my job it comes with the territory. You can keep the bathing suit but the first boy I find sneaking around to see you I'm locking you in this room and I'm shooting him where it hurts." Dave threatened.

"I forgive you. You won't have to worry about boys. The ones at the pool were so repulsive even Kelly threatened to switch teams." Stella said. "You are by far the oddest kid I've meet and I'm glad I finally got to know you exist but 20% of the time I don't know what you mean." Dave said.

"I give up with you." Stella smiled.

"Love you too, Stella."


	12. Chapter 12

Stella sat on her laptop typing when Dave came into the office. "Another case?" Stella asked looking up.

"Yeah. You gonna be okay with Garcia while I'm gone?"

"Yeah. She's really cool and nice. I like her." Stella said.

"Alright. Your bag is over there in the corner. If you need anything else you have your house key. I'll see you in a few days Stella." Dave kissed the top of Stella's head and got ready to walk out the door. Stella got up and hugged Dave around his middle. "Love you Dad. Come home in one piece." she smiled.

"Alright." Stella stepped out of the office with Dave. "Morgan bring my old man home in one piece."

"You got it." the dark skinned man smiled at her. "Hey Stella I got a book you might want to look at. It's called Pandora."

"I've already read it Spenny." Stella told the man. "Fine. See you when we get back." Spencer waved as he walked out the door following Morgan. Stella collected her things and went into the Lioness den with Garcia. It had been two weeks since the picnic. Stella started going back to work with Dave and was slowly learning every again. But the team always kept and eye on her and Strauss.

That was until today. "Strauss couldn't stand it when others stood up to her. She held a great deal of authority and yet a mere teenager had gotten smart with her and dared to talk back. Not even her own children were so bold as to do so.

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at some camp?" Strauss asked.

"I'm to old for one those."

"This is no place for a child."

"Young adult thank you." Stella retorted.

"Child or not this is not a play ground."

"Really I was wondering why I couldn't find the monkey bars and swings. Now if you'll excuse me dragon breath I have something else to go attend to." Stella walked past her and into Garcia's little office. Garcia's door had been cracked open so she heard every bit of the conversation. When it seemed they would be working late they called in for food and Garcia sent Stella to go get it when it arrived.

"She is your daughter through and through." Emily smiled. "Yeah and I'm proud to call her mine." Dave smiled.

~.o0o.~

Stella found herself yet again waiting for her father to get home from a case. "Hey Penny I'll be right back I'm going to the bathroom." Stella walked out the door.

"Satan's host." Stella called after Strauss.

Three days later Dave and Stella found themselves in Strauss' office. "I don't want to see your daughter in this building Rossi."

"Why because I can profile at the age of sixteen?" Stella asked.

"What does a child know of profiling?" Strauss asked.

"Young adult." Rossi corrected.

"The modern furniture, strategically placed magazines, the framed diplomas, the art on the wall are all on conflict of your family photos. You have three children and you favor the middle one, your son." Strauss stared as Stella continued. "Of course you love all your children but not like your son. The bonsai you keep on your desk and obsessively nurture is to compensate because you feel you've failed as a mom." Stella told her.

"Well what happened" Dave asked as Stella and Dave walked into the office. "I profiled Strauss and totally owned her." Stella smiled. "You'll make a great profiler in the future." Hotch smiled. "Oh my god." Stella practically shrieked.

"What?"

"He smiled. The man who I haven't even see blink, the man who keeps a straight face just smiled. It's going to snow tomorrow." The others laughed.

Memory or not Stella was still Stella. Still a ball of energy. Dave didn't profile his own daughter and Stella for the most part had settled into life as if nothing happened. But Dave did miss the guitar playing every now and again. It was one night when he came home after going out to grab beers with the team that he heard the familiar plucking.

Stella was playing a song something new and something different. She kept getting frustrated with it and put the guitar down. "What's wrong?" Dave asked. "I felt asleep watching TV at around four and as I was dreaming I heard this song and I saw a woman's face. I feel like I should remember it but I can't. But she looked at me with such love in her eyes. I wondered if she was my mom." Stella told him.

"If you saw a picture of her would you recognize her?" Dave asked. "Yes."

"Wait here." Dave left the room and returned a few minutes later with a photo album and placed it in front of Stella. Dave opened it to the last page a picture of Stella and her mother. "That's her." Stella said. "She's your mother kiddo."

"She was pretty. Why didn't you go look for her after she left?" Stella asked.

"Because that wasn't the first time I had been left like that. My first wife left like that and I got the divorce papers three weeks later. I had three girlfriends before your mother came into my life. Two left in much the same fashion not a word. While I was with wife number two there was the affair I had with Strauss of all people." Dave shook his head.

"Ew Daddy. Like really what did you ever see in that woman?" Stella asked.

"To be honest I don't even remember. All I know is she use to be a great woman and beautiful. That's why we have the fraternization rules that we do. That's all my doing." Dave smiled. "You are so not cool." Stella laughed.

"Very funny kid but back in the day I was a very much so desired man." Dave smiled at the teen. "Come on I have something to show you." Dave took Stella down stairs and sat her on the couch. "A few weeks after you came to live with me your mother sent you a box with tapes and photo albums in it. The tapes were of you growing up." Dave said pushing play.

Stella watched as the life she had forgotten played out in front of her. Her life and her memories were being offered to her and she couldn't remember them. Stella's head started to hurt and she got up from the couch. "I'm going to call it an early night." She said rushing up the stairs.

"Are you alright?" Dave had rushed up the stairs.

"I'm fine I'm tired and I'm going to bed." Stella sat on the other side of the door on her bed with her legs drawn up trying to will away the growing headache.

"Stella I can't help you if you don't tell me what's bothering you." Dave persisted. "I said I was fine now leave me alone." Stella snapped back. Dave turned away from the door and looked down at the brown lab. "Come on we might as well call it quits too." he told Mudgie.

The next day was quiet. After two in the afternoon Dave gave up hope of seeing Stella that day. He sat down stairs listening to the house. Listening for his daughter to open the door and move. No such prayer was answered till after nine that night. Dave was sitting in his office typing for his next book when Stella appeared in the doorway. "It hurts." she frowned.

"What hurts?" Dave removed his glasses.

"Where I hit my head. Whenever I think about my past too much it hurts. Last night when we were watching those movies I kept trying to force myself to remember everything about me about my life. I want to remember but I can't." Dave got up and pulled Stella into a hug. "It'll be alright Stella I promise. Just one day at a time." Dave said.

"I want to remember now. We're leaving to go see people I don't even remember or have a connection to anymore for all I know. I want to remember my mother and friends where I came from." Stella clung to Dave's shirt as she cried into Dave's shirt. When Stella had finally pulled away and whipped away her tears she chuckled to her self a bit. "Sorry for getting your shirt all wet." She looked up to her father.

"Wanna see something?" Dave asked.

"What?"

"Go pack a bag for the night and get Mudgie. Meet me at the car in five minutes." Dave smiled as he watched Stella race off to get what she was told to get. Stella met him at the car four minutes later. "Get in Mudgie." She said opening the rear door. Stella jumped in the front and rolled down her window. "Let's roll." Stella said.

Dave started driving with a large smile on his face as he watched Stella look around and try to predict where they were headed. "Why don't you put on some of that music you seem to have gotten me hooked on?" Dave smiled. Stella hooked up her ipod and started a song. The listened as the chello and violins harmonized to make the song come together.

When they began to reach a more wooded area Stella looked at Dave. "We fishing in the dark or something?" She asked. "No. I discovered this place few years back when I had made a wrong turn in the night. It was the most magnificent sight you would ever lay your eyes on. And tonight it'll be all the better because the moon is so full it can be counted as full.

Dave stopped and put the car into park. Get Mudgie and put him on his leash I don't want him getting lost grab a flash light." Dave said getting out. Stella quickly followed after her father with Mudgie on his leash and flashlight in her hand. They walked for a good twenty minutes before they reached the desired point.

"Wow." Stella looked up at the night sky. Stars were shining brightly as the moon out shown them all. "Great isn't it?" Dave asked. "Yeah it is."

Stella took in a breath through her nose and inhaled till her lungs could take in no more before turning her head to the sky and howling to the moon. "One that was close to being real and two why'd you do it?"

"It felt right. Like I'm meant to do it." Stella told him. "That's what you use to play your guitar. Don't play it until you feel like you want to. However long it takes let your fingers do what they do naturally. It'll come back to you soon enough. Come on lets get to the cabin we'll crash there for the night and start out tomorrow morning." Dave said.

"Alright. Come on Mudgie time to get to bed its late." she told the dog. Stella suddenly smacked her skin. "I'm going to be itchy tomorrow." Stella sighed. "But it was worth it kid. Just keep telling yourself that." Dave smiled.

"Alright. I'd like to see this place again."

"We can make the trip again. All you have to do is ask." Dave said.

"Thanks Daddy."

~.o0o.~

The girls were at the pool when Hotch called them for a case. Six teenage girls had gone missing in the last threw months. Dave called Garcia to send her to get the girls from the pool. Every picture Dave saw of a brunette haired teen he could almost see Stella.

The team didn't waste time in going home when they finally had their man. By the time they got home it was the middle of the night. Dave drove straight over to Garcia's to see Stella. "Who the hell is knocking on my door this late?" He heard Garcia say.

"I really should have called first." he said. Garcia yanked the door open. "Rossi?"

"Where's Stella?" he asked. "Sleeping on the bed." Garcia moved out of the way as Dave made his way into Garcia's bedroom. Stella was still sleeping. He sat on the edge of the bed and smiled down at his child. His own flesh and blood. He brushed a lock of hair away behind her ear.

"Daddy?"

"Hey there." Dave kissed her forehead. "Go back to sleep. I'll be in the other room." Dave said. Dave walked into Garcia's living room looking back over his shoulder with a smile. "I'll be back in few hours to pick her up." Dave said. "You might as well crash on the couch and sleep while you can." Garcia said with a smile. She knew that JJ and Hotch were the same way with their children after a case much like the one they had just finished.

She smiled as she went back to bed. Rossi was a good father in his own way. And Stella she'd turn out just fine. She had her father to back her up and had the rest of the team there if she needed them.


	13. Chapter 13

Stella and Dave were a bit of an odd father and daughter team. Stella was till confusing to the older man. Because she couldn't remember anything of her childhood it made it just a bit harder but they seemed to learn something new about her everyday. Like how she had a very strong dislike of a certain yellow fruit. No one said bananas were okay to put in your cheerios. Dave wondered if a son would be the same way.

But what was it with kids and firepower?

"No way in hell am I giving you a gun." David Rossi told his sixteen-year-old daughter. "What afraid I'm a better shot then Morgan?" Stella grinned. "You are not a better shot then me. The only one better then me is your old man because he shots deer." Morgan told her.

"This is so not fair."

"It would be a shame if she was a better shot then Reid." Hotch laughed.

"I told you I was aiming for his leg." Reid defended.

"Sure." Hotch told him.

"You still kick like a nine year old girl." Reid snapped back.

"I can kick like a nine year old girl all I want I know how to use my gun." Hotch told the younger agent.

"I don't care who kicks like a nine year old I still say my kid isn't getting near my gun." Rossi said putting his foot down. "I still think Emily is a scary shot." Reid stated. "Hey JJ isn't bad either."

"All this because of a yearly exam." Rossi shook his head. "Can't hurt anything Dave and you know it." Hotch said. "Would you give Jack your gun?"

"If he were Stella's age and supervised and only hitting a target. You gave her a gun to shoot a few geese didn't you?"

"That's different." Dave pointed out. Hotch just looked at him. "I'm not going to win am I?" Dave asked looking at his team. "Nope."

Twenty minutes later everyone was lined up with targets thirty feet in front of them. Stella fired off a few rounds taking the recoil surprisingly well and was able to focus on the area she needed to hit.

"Well I'll be damned. Kid's a good shot." But are you as good as me?" the man picked up the gun and fired a few rounds at the same spot where the heart would have been.

"Now lets see you try and hit that same spot." Stella lined her shot and squeezed off a few get three out of five to the point. A man clapped Stella on her shoulder. "Who's kid are you?"

"Mine." Dave claimed.

"Of course, I thought she looked familiar. She'd be yours she's got the makings of an agent or so I've heard." the man said.

"She does but I don't think she'll be taking over in my place." Dave told the man. As they drove home that night Stella turned to her father and popped the question. "How would you feel if I went to training to work for the BAU?" Stella asked.

"Stella I wouldn't mind if you took the job but it's not easy. But I'd be proud of you non-the less. But I want you to follow your own dreams. If working for the BAU is what you want then go for it. But if not then find something you do want to do with your life." Dave explained. Stella nodded.

~.o0o.~

Morgan invited everyone to his house for a cookout. They were just clearing away the first set of plates when Reid threw the first water balloon. The war was on. Before long there was a giggling Henry and Jack was doubled over at the sight of his dripping wet father who seemed to me the pain target. "Every one of you is going to pay." Hotch warned.

"But you look funny Daddy." Jack smiled at his father.

"You are so going to regret that last balloon old man." Stella smiled as she worked the balloon bits out of her hair. The day wore on into night and the grill was fired up again for a nice round of s'mores. Reid suddenly yelped when ice was thrown down the back of his shirt.

"Not fair that's cold. It's cold. It's cold." he was dancing around trying to dislodge the cube.

"I told you I'd get payback and I hold true to my promises." Hotch smiled. Dave watched his co-worker dance around with an amused look on his face. But he hadn't foreseen his own child doing the same to him by dumping a whole cup of ice down the back of his shirt.

"Stella!" Dave yelped as he tried to shake the ice loose.

~.o0o.~

Dave found Stella sitting on her bedroom floor her laptop in front of her. "What are you doing kid?"

"Planning a few stops for our trip. There's an Edgar Allan Poe in Richmond. We have to go see it. Poe was one of the greatest writers ever." Stella smiled. "I don't see why not. But before you plan anymore stops consult me first." Dave told her.

"Wait Stella Richmond is in the other direction." Dave suddenly realized. "Is it? I thought is was like right next door to us." She frowned. "Nope. How about this we can plan some other stops to check out along the way rather then back tracking. We can make another trip to the museum."

"Okay."

"So how far are we going? I know you've looked up the miles."

"It's about 500 to 530 miles to get there. And about the same to get back. Not much to it really. We'll get to see some of Jersey's beautiful countryside. There's a reason why it's called the garden state. We could hit up the Baltimore Aquarium it's supposed to be really awesome. I saw a few pictures. We could see Elise Island, Ground zero, Times Square."

"You know I've been to New York over a dozen times and have yet to see Times Square or even go to Elise Island." Dave said.

"So that mean's we can totally go?" Stella asked.

"Yes. But you have to be the navigator for the drive. When we make a pit stop then you better go to the bathroom cause I'm not stopping twenty minutes later because you suddenly have to go." Dave said.

"Deal. So when do we leave?"

"Saturday."

"What time?"

"I want us on the highway early so we're getting up early. So pack your bag for two weeks. Bring your guitar, laptop, ipod whatever." Dave said. "I will remember to do that."

"We'll pack the car tomorrow night so lay your clothes out for the next day. Now if you'll excuse me the team is a calling." Dave got up from Stella's bed and went to go see what the team had found on their latest case. "You better behave in the car too. I don't want any of your accidents back there. You do I'm leaving you on the high way." Dave threatened Mudgie. Mudgie whined softly.

"Don't try that on me." Dave said. "We'll be home in the morning. We just have to question him now. Get why he did it and where the other bodies are and we are free." JJ said. "Alright we'll be seeing you guys when we get back from our trip." Dave said.

"Why is that?" Hotch asked. "We're leaving Saturday morning. I'll be sure to take plenty of pictures and send them to you. If not me you know Stella will."

"I was going to swing by tomorrow with Jack. He wants to see Stella. Been begging me forever." Hotch told him. "If you're up to it. Knowing the kid she's already started packing her stuff. I better start packing myself." Dave said.

"Alright I'll swing by tomorrow see you then." Hotch told him. "See you."

"Daddy?" Stella stood in her father's doorway. "Yeah Stell?"

"You said your mother lives in New York. Could we stop there? I really want to meet her."

"We can do that Kiddo. She lives further north in New York closer to the suburbs but not in a house. We could stay the night there and then leave in the morning it'll be a straight shot into Vermont." Dave told her.

Stella nodded. "I'm gonna start packing I'm loading some more music onto my ipod you better get whatever music your bring together. We'll Rick roll." Stella smiled dashing off across the hall.

~.o0o.~

The next day around two in the afternoon when Hotch showed up with an eager Jack in tow. "Hi uncle Rossi." Jack smiled up at the man. "Hi Aaron. Hey there Sport. You're gonna have to wait a few minutes Stella's on her way back from walking Mudgie." Dave said.

Jack ran off to the back yard to wait while Hotch and Dave went into the kitchen. "Ready to take this little adventure?" Hotch asked. "You might be biting off more then you can chew."

"No this is right. It's been little by little every day. Maybe this trip to visit her hometown might trigger something. It could help and I hope it does. Her friends know who she is." Dave explained.

"And what if it sets her back to square one?" Hotch asked.

"Then I'm prepared for it. I'm prepared to stand by Stella until she has her memory back or if she never gets it back."

They heard the door open. "I'm back. Hi Hotch." Stella ran past them and into the back yard. "Jackie." she called.

Hotch looked out the window at them and Dave looked from the door. "Do you think they're like us?" Hotch asked. Many people commented on how much Jack looked like Hotch and how he was so much like his father how he had the makings of that intense stare Hotch was famous for.

Same with Stella and Dave. Her profiling skills, looks and aim. They modeled their fathers and on occasion acted like them when together. It had been rather funny when they stood next to each other. Garcia had sent pictures of the two when. Jack giving his best Aaron Hotchner glare and Stella with that same tone Dave had when questioning an unsub.

"Nah." They said in unison.

After Hotch and Jack left. Stella promised to send pictures to Hotch so he could show them to Jack. Dave and Stella had an early dinner then packed up the car. Clothes were laid out for the next morning.

~.o0o.~

Dave's alarm went off and so did Stella's. Four am they should have waited until five. "Start the coffee pot for me." He called down stairs to Stella. "No time you can have some instant."

"As long as it's hot." He said. While they dressed the water boiled. Stella fixed it up and put it into a travel mug.

Dave grabbed Mudgie and set the security system. "Here you go." Stella said handing him the cup. Dave took a deep swig. "Perfect." He smiled. "I don't like the stuff but I know how to hook it up." she smiled. Mudgie was put into the back seat. The dog still tired went to sleep in the back seat.

Once in the car Stella pulled out the checklist. "Ipod and others music?"

"Check."

"Bags and guitar?"

"Check."

"Food and travel bowls for Mudgie?"

"Check."

"Camera and cell phones?"

"Double check."

"Your wallet?"

"Check. That's the entire list. Start the car Dad." Stella smiled. Dave pulled out of the drive way and Stella broke out the map and started giving directions on how to get where they were headed.

Dave glanced at the map Stella was holding. "Stella it's upside down." he said. "Oh. Whoops." Stella turned it up right. "Okay turn around."

"You're killing me kid."

"But I don't see any blood and I'm not holding the murder weapon." Stella grinned.


	14. Road Trip

It was well after seven when they reached Maryland. They had entered Baltimore and had been walking around for a good long while. "Alright how about we go to a diner and grab a bite? By the time we all get fed we can swing to the aquarium." Dave said. "I'm loving that Idea, I'm starving." Stella agreed.

"I'll grab a table you take car of Mudgie. You want me to order you anything?" Dave asked. 

"Plain milk and stack of pancakes please." She said tying Mudgie to a pole near the car. Stella laid down a blanket for him to lie on put out the food and water. "Be good." She told him before walking into the diner. Dave waved her over. "I ordered breakfast for us. Go wash your hands."

Stella pulled a small bottle from her pocket and squeezed a bit into her hand. "Hand sanitizer." She smiled. When their food finally arrived it finally dawned on Dave that with Mudgie with them they would have to continually check on him. "What are we going to do with Mudgie? We can't leave him out side by himself it's against the law to leave a dog with no supervision." Dave pointed out.

"He's a seeing eye dog. If people ask why we have to keep him around with us tell them I have poor depth perception or something." She said around a mouth full of pancakes.  
"Chew your food then talk." Dave told her.

Stella swallowed. Dave looked out the window at the dog. "I know exactly what we do." Dave said. "Finish your breakfast and we'll hit the road again." Stella wolfed down the rest and drained her glass of milk. Dave paid the bill and Stella left the tip.

A bit later. "Sir you can't bring that dog in here." the man at the gate told them. "You see sir this dog is a service dog and he alerts us when my daughter is prone to one of her seizures." the man looked at Stella. "Alright you'll need this so you don't get stopped by anyone else. If that mutt drops anything you clean it up."

"Will do." they nodded and entered. "Smooth Dad." Stella grinned.

"Awe." Garcia smiled at the pictures. Stella and Dave checking out the penguins. Mudgie stealing Dave's hot dog. A tricky picture of what looked to be an eel eating Stella's arm.

A picture of them checking out the penguins. Stella putting on a terrified face when they reached the shark tank. Dave with his arm in the stingray tank petting one.

Checking out the Jellyfish tank. Dave had Stella's jellyfish song stuck in his head.

The three left the aquarium without any problems and had plenty of pictures to put in the photo album back home. As promised they passed through some of New Jersey's countryside.

The music was going and Stella and Dave were having fun until the car started to droop to one side. "Really?" Dave and Stella said at the same time. Dave managed to get them to the side of the road.

"Well kid we're trekking it down the road until we find a gas station." Dave said getting Mudgie from the car.

"Do you think it's wise to leave our stuff in the car? Alone?" Stella said.

"Well I'm sure as hell not leaving you in the car alone and I'm not sending you down the road alone. So we'll both go." Dave said.

They started their trek down the road. "It had to be hot today." Stella said petting Mudgie on the head as he drank some water.

"You know what Bookworm lets test those skills of yours. "How altered is the story version of Cinderella from the Disney version?" Dave asked.

"Drastically. The Grimm Brothers wrote it as it being far more gruesome. They would cut off toes and heels. Where in the Disney version they simply made the feet bend and tried to stuff the overly large feet into the shoes. Snow White was a gruesome tale as was Red Riding Hood. More then what it is today." Stella went on about the stories.

"Okay, who was Sherlock Holmes' greatest enemy?" Dave asked.

"That's easy. Professor James Moriarty. As for people he strongly disliked one Irene Adler." Stella smiled.

"You are a strange kid."

"I see a gas station." Stella smiled as they were coming up to one. Suddenly they heard a engine roaring and turned around behind them a tow truck was driving down the road with their car hooked to the back of it." The truck slowed up to them.

"This your car?" the burly man asked. Dave and Stella nodded. "Hop in I'll take you the rest of the way." the man said. At the gas station they thanked the man before getting back into the car and driving off to continue their adventure. The car breaking down and walking from the car to the gas station and getting the tire changed had set them back three hours. By eleven they stopped at a hotel. They snuck Mudgie in for the night and settled in for a deep sleep.

The next morning they set out again. Stopping at another diner for breakfast. "Hey I think I see it." Stella said looking out the window. Well we're headed that way kiddo." Dave said with a smile. The ferry to Elise Island was a bit of a challenge. Seasickness was not cool.

"You okay now?" Dave asked looking at Stella as she downed a bottle of water. "That was gross." Stella said.

"You didn't know you got seasickness?" Dave asked. "Haven't you been on a boat before?"

"If I ever was I don't remember." Stella told the man. "Okay I'm sorry I'm entitled to forget these things. Guess all the fun we've been having on this little trip kind of blocks it out." Dave said.

"It's okay. I'm better now come on." Stella said taking the camera and snapping a picture of her father. "Did you know that the statue technically belongs to New Jersey because it's in Jersey's state lines?" Stella whispered to her father.

"Why are you whispering?"

"Because I don't want New Yorkers to try and kill me." Stella said pressing a few buttons on her cell phone. "Sending pictures to the team?"

"Yup.

Two hours later when they were back on solid earth and Stella was finally feeling better they made tracks for Ground Zero. Paying their respects to ones who had lost their lives before heading over to Times Square.

"This is epic." Stella smiled. "Pretty amazing Kiddo. Come on if we want to see a bed anytime soon we gotta hurry to your grandmother's quickly. It's a two hour drive to your grandmother more like four because we have to get back to the car and drive though this crazy traffic.

"On ward." Stella took on a dramatic pose like a captain on a ship toward land. A light suddenly flashed as Dave smiled at the picture he had just gotten. "Garcia is going to love this one."

"Come on you old bat." Stella smiled.

"That would be old goat. Woman are bats you little brat." Dave laughed. They finally found the car and started to drive very slowly through the busy section of New York. They finally made it to Eudora Rossi's home. Before Dave woke Stella he snapped a picture of her sleeping against the door before waking her up and getting Mudgie to go knock on the door.

Eudora guided Stella into a spare room where the girl fell asleep in her clothes and didn't bother to get up. Dave put Mudgie in the laundry room and went back into the bedroom to put Stella under the covers. He kissed her forehead and left the room turning out the light. His mother stood in the hallway.

"I never thought I'd see the day you became a father. But you've managed well my son." Eudora smiled. "Come you need sleep yourself I have the couch set up for you." she said taking Dave by the arm. "Mama you didn't have to do that I could have done it myself."

"But it's not often I get to have you in my house." she smiled. "Alright. It's late you go get in the bed I'm going to go changed then I will go to sleep." he promised. "Good night Davie." Eudora kissed her son's cheek before going to her room for bed.

~.o0o.~

Stella woke up the next morning groggy and still dressed minus her shoes. Stella got out of bed and wandered into the hall and listened around. She heard her father's voice and a female voice talking. There was the strong smell of food causing her to follow both into the kitchen.

"Dad?"

"Morning Stella. Sleep well?"

"Good morning Tesoro." the elderly woman smiled.

"Good morning. Yeah. Did I really fall asleep in my clothes?" she asked.

"Yup. Your bag is in the living room go get changed and wash up." Dave told her.

Stella picked out her clothes for the day and found the bathroom. She changed, washed her face, and brushed her teeth and hair before venturing back into the kitchen to sit for breakfast. "What does Tesoro mean?" Stella asked.

"It means sweetheart in Italian." Eudora told her. "You are my sweetheart."

Stella smiled and they finished eating breakfast. They packed up everything and said their good-byes. "Okay go left. No, right. No wait left."

"Which way? No never mind hand me the map." Dave took the map from Stella and had a look. "We go right." he said.

Stella continued to look out the window. She was doing fine up until that morning when they got in the car. She was reading the map wrong and guessing which way to go. Dave pulled over on the side of the road. "Why'd you stop?"

"Because I need to know if you're really ready to do this. There's nothing to be nervous about Stella." Dave said.

"You're profiling me?"

"No, I'm being a parent. Parents know what's wrong with their children and I see what's wrong the signs are very clear. Reading the map wrong, not knowing which way to go, the way you keep looking out that window for some escape. If you want to turn back I won't hold it against you. This is big for you. But even if we do turn back we still had fun. The trip was worth it. Now do you want to continue or not? If yes I'll keep driving if not then I'm making an illegal U-turn home."

"I want to keep going." Stella told him. Dave smiled at her. "How did you get so brave?" Dave asked.

"I don't know apparently my father has had a gun pointed at him and when you think about it that's far more scary then going to meet a few old friends." Stella told him.

"That's my girl." Dave continued on down the road.

"What's the address?"

"734 School street." Stella told him.

"Alright this is school street look for the house." Dave said glancing back and forth between the road and the other side of the street. Stella said the house number coming up. "Daddy it's right there. No back up a few. Here." Stella and Dave looked at the light green house.

"Alright come on time to the past." Dave told her grabbing Mudgie's leash and walking to the door with Stella by his side. Stella knocked on the door. The woman who opened the door was a tall dirty blonde with brown eyes.

"Hello I'm David Rossi we spoke on the phone a few weeks ago. I'm Stella's father."

"Yes I'm Hannah Belmar I'm Jimmy's mother."


	15. The Past Is The Presant

Stella and Dave were shown into the living room. "Jimmy call the others and come down." she called up the stairs.

"We've missed Stella. For years we were a bit of a family in a way. We took care of each other and looked after the children. Car-pooled. I know you don't remember Stella but maybe this could be a new start." Hannah questioned. Stella nodded. Jimmy came down stairs and stopped in the living room when he saw his old friend. Hannah let the other mothers in and their children, Paul and Trevor.

There were introductions and the four teens went outside. Trevor was the tallest thin, with short cut brown hair and green eyes. Paul had the same blond hair as his mother and wore it long. Jimmy had his mother's dirty blonde hair but his father's blue eyes.

"How about we take a walk around. Hit up the school grounds maybe skate a little." Paul suggested. "I can dig it." Stella smiled. "Daddy We're going to go skate for a bit." Stella told her father before running after the boys. She borrowed Jimmy's extra board and they went off down the street.

"She seems like she's doing pretty well." Melody, Paul's mother, said.

"She's a great kid. Strange but great." Dave smiled.

"I'm glad she settled in well with you. We had a bit of a fear that she would go the wrong way the way Resa sent her away. Now look at her to be kidnapped and lose her memory. She's getting on pretty well and you're doing a fine job. She's still full of energy." Hannah chuckled.

"I always wondered where Stella got such strong stare from and features." Christina smiled.

"Thank you."

~.o0o.~

"We use to come here every summer and do nothing but sit in the sun and toss the baseball around." Jimmy laughed.

"Or the time we got lost because it snowed so hard." Paul said.

"No when we all had the chicken pox."

"Worst week of my life ever."

"Or we would throw snowballs back and forth. It would be the best war ever." Trevor told them. Stella listened to the boys talk before her head started to hurt. "Can we turn back my head is starting to hurt." Stella frowned. "Yeah sure come on." Jimmy helped Stella stand up and walk back to his house.

When they walked through the door Dave could already see what was wrong. "Stella?"

"What happened?"

"She said her head started to hurt so we came back." Paul explained to the mothers.

"Take her to get some rest. Let us know how she's doing later." Christina said. Dave was already out the door and Mudgie was behind them. Stella pulled her knees up and held her head between her hands. Dave pulled into the parking lot of the hotel. "Wait here Stella." Dave left Stella with Mudgie.

"Sir may I help you?" the receptionist asked.

"Yes. I need one room with two beds. I also have a service dog." he told the woman. "Well where is it?" the woman asked. "In the car with my daughter who has just suffered one of her attacks now I would like a room please so I can get her laid down for a while."

"Yes right away sir. Please sign here. How long will you be staying?" she asked.

"I booked a room three days ago under the name David Rossi."

"Ah yes. Here's your key sir. I hope your daughter feels better." Dave nodded and took the key and went back to get Stella and Mudgie. Once he had gotten them upstairs and into the room Stella kicked off her shoes and crawled under the covers. Mudgie jumped on the bed and snuggled close to Stella. The dog was beginning to live up to the service dog title.

~.o0o.~

"My poor baby." Garcia said. The team was on a case and trying to leave Dave out of it as much as possible. He had called them. "She's fine Garcia but we might be coming home early." Dave sighed. Stella had so far been doing pretty well.

"She's sleeping now. Been sleep the past four hours." Dave told her.

"Well you two take care. See you when you get back." Stella started to stir and woke up. "Hey kiddo." Dave greeted her.

"How long have I been out?"

"About four hours. You wanna talk about it?" Dave asked. Stella shook her heard. "Stella we've been over this I can't help you until you tell me what's wrong."

"They started talking about everything we use to do when I lived there. We walked out into a baseball field and it felt familiar but I couldn't place it. I couldn't remember it and I tried but it wouldn't work. It was worst then the last time my head started to hurt." Stella told him.

"Maybe we should stay here tomorrow. Give you a break and we could try again."

Stella nodded. "I'm hungry."

"I figured you'd be. Here your favorite with everything on it." Dave tossed her the subway sandwich. "Thanks Dad. How's the team doing on the latest case?"

"Good. They know who they' re after now they juts have to track him down."

"Where are they?"

"Maine."

"Wow." Stella chuckled as she bit into her sandwich. "You eat already?"

Her father nodded. "When you're finished lets go for a walk there's a market place a few blocks over."

"I can dig it."

~.o0o.~

The next day they mostly stayed in the hotel room venturing down to the pool for a few hours. The day after that they drove back to see Stella's old friends. "You feeling better?" Trevor asked.

"Yeah I'm all good."

"Hey did you bring your guitar down with you?" Paul asked.

"Yeah."

"Well how about we take it easy and play some music today instead. I find that the heat makes my head hurt too. We have three large fans that should take the edge off." Jimmy said. "I can dig it. Let me get my guitar." Stella dashed into the house and to the backyard. Dave was sitting in the back with the other parent's fathers included this time.

"Hey kiddo what's up?"

"I need the keys to get my guitar." she smiled taking them from Dave. "Don't drive away." the man teased. "Not like I'd get far." she laughed.

"So you've heard them play?" James, Jimmy's father asked. "Not them together but I've heard Stella. Not really my type of music but she's the DJ whenever we go out she usually finds something we both agree on." Dave said.

"Well they're pretty good. They played at the junior prom when Jimmy's older brothers went to the high. Then the senior one when they started in freshmen year. Got paid for it too. I was impressed." Richard laughed there was no doubt he was Paul's father.

In the garage the four teens had set up and were going through sound check. "Alright we're all set. Why don't we try monster?" Paul suggested as he took the mic in hand. "Let's do this." His three friends smiled back at him. Stella tore into the first cord and started the song.

In the backyard the parents could here their children doing what they loved most. "That's the song she played at the school's music contest a few months back." Dave said. "It sound better when their together and live."

"It does."

"Reminds me of the days we use to listen to guns and roses, ACDC, and KISS." William laughed.

"How did Stella first learn sign language?" Dave had always been curious and had never asked when Stella could remember she knew it.

"Her grandmother was deaf. The woman had started teaching her how to sign and it became oddly natural to her." Hannah said putting a pile of paper plates on the table. "My neighbor he has a daughter Stella's age and the two get along great. Before the accident the two would sign back and forth for hours. Kelly's teaching her all over again she picked it up quickly." Dave told them.

"Alright how about we try Hero. Stella do you know your lyrics?"

"Yeah."

They ripped through the song with a laugh at the end. "You haven't lost your touch." Jimmy called from behind his drum set. Mudgie barked in agreement.

"Darn skippy. But it was pretty strange after the accident. I didn't know it but when I picked it up after a few tries it all seemed to come back I guess."

"Alright Stell we gotta switch off because the next song you gotta sing."

"Misery business is your job. Get to it." Trevor laughed. Stella took a soldiers stance and saluted him before taking the mic in hand and waiting for the count off. "Kids come eat!" They heard called.

"You two kick it hear and watch the equipment we'll get the food. Trevor what you having?"

"Two burgers with cheese and hot dog." he told Stella.

"I already know what you want Paul. You get the same thing every time." Jimmy told him. Stella followed Jimmy through the door to go get the food.

"Mudgie be have and don't run off."

William looked up when two of the teens came looking for food. "Stella what will you be having. "Three hotdogs and a burger for me please. Then two burgers with cheese and a hotdog for Trevor."

"God you kids eat a lot."

"We can hardly talk use to eat like that when I was their age." Dave said. "You still eat like that." Stella smiled. "But I can at least manage to oh I don't know chew my food vacuum cleaner."

"One of the hotdogs is for Mudgie he's been a good boy today." Stella said.

"You spoil that dog. He's gonna grow fat and lazy and when I need him to go hunting he won't want to move." Dave shook his head.

"Love you too old man."

They went back to the garage and played some more. Covering seventeen songs with in the whole day. It was pretty good when you think about it. For a while that day they had an audience. They're parents and a few of the neighbors as they played some of the tunes they knew best.

When they got back to the hotel that night Dave saw the content look in Stella's eyes as they drove back. "Did you have fun today?"

"Yeah. The guys are pretty cool. If we go back tomorrow we're going to play some more. Maybe go swimming if it's hot enough for it. Which it most likely will be?" Stella rambled.

"Glad you had fun." Dave smiled.

"Thanks for bringing me up here Daddy. It's a ball of fun. Being in the car with you and Mudgie. You're enjoying this too, right?"

"Of course I'm enjoying this. I don't get to spent much time with you because of work so I'll take every chance I get to be with you before I have to let you go off to college." Dave admitted.

"Don't go getting all sentimental on me now and start wishing I was five again asking you to give me piggy back rides. That only happens in really cheesy movies and you know it." Stella pointed out.

"Yeah sure just take all the fun out of being a father." Dave frowned.

"Melodramatic."

They went back everyday to the house. Stella would sit around with her friends and talk. They would play music and go for walks around the neighborhood. Stella only had but one more back headache when they walked all the way to the high school they use to attend together where she and Dave had to go back to the hotel.

When they finally reached home again Stella took her camera and began to print the pictures she had taken during the whole trip. Dave shook his head with a smiled when he saw he asleep on her bed the pictures spread out before her and the photo album open still.


	16. Father's Worst Nightmare

Stella was sad to leave after getting to know her friends again. They were good buddies and she was going to miss them. But she had their numbers and her laptop to keep in touch with them. The drive back was funny. If you count getting lost for three hours and another flat tire in Delaware. Then yeah it was funny. Dave returned to work and Stella hung around the office until it was time to start school in September. She was ready for it of course. A new book bag and new notebooks and school supply. The tree in the back was closely watched by the teen as she picked the multi-colored leaves from it in early October.

"Stella Let's go it's time to go the others are waiting for us." Dave called up the stairs.

"I'm coming." She called and came running down the stairs ready to go out to eat. The whole team was getting together to celebrate Stella's seventeen birthday. "You look good kid." Dave smiled as he locked the front door.

When they arrived everyone was seated and orders were taken. Reid rambled off happily about what birthday candles were used for and such. Stella listened happily. When his or her orders arrived everyone shared light conversation over the meal.

"So Stella you got a boyfriend yet?" Morgan asked.

"No." Stella said it with a bored expression. "She better not have a boyfriend. Boys want one thing only. Don't look at me like that I've been in the game and at her age as a boy I knew what I wanted." Dave smirked.

"I'm not stupid. Besides half the students in school know you work for the FBI. All the boys would be terrified to come near me." Stella told them.

"Don't worry we'll find you a nice young man soon enough." Emily winked at her.

"Besides if he ever tries anything she doesn't want to happen you know she's going to let him know and make sure he feels it for a very long time." Hotch smirked.

"Would it mater if I said I declared myself Asexual." Stella asked.

"Not really because you can take that back in a moments notice." Reid said.

"No help Spenny." Stella shook her head at him. Dinner continued with light joking and gift giving. Stella was able to fit all her gifts in her pocket. (Gift cards to her favorite stores).

Dave watched Stella sleeping in her bed and smiled at her. He was in for one hell of a trip if she started dating. He wouldn't know what to do.

~.o0o.~

"Stella what are you doing?" Dave stood in his daughter's doorway digging through the closet throwing articles of clothing over her shoulder.

"I'm looking for my hunter green skirt. I found my top but I need my skirt so I can go as the kick-butt rocker chick for Halloween. All the other girls are doing fairies, witches and other cute things I'm going as something all my own." Stella smiled to her father before pulling out of her closet with a triumphant shout as she held said skirt in hand.

Stella hung the outfit to the side and looked at her father we was holding his cell phone in hand. "Case?"

"No. Hotch called you three times and you didn't pick up I thought you might have fallen asleep. So he called me and I came to check he needs your help." Dave said.

"Hand over the phone." Stella took the phone from her father. "Okay. Sure I can. Really? Better yet just leave me everything and I'll do the work. Yeah. No I won't blow up the kitchen I know how to cook. Wait your stove isn't electric is it? No. Good. Then leave it to me and I'll see you Sunday." Stella handed the phone back to her father.

"What was that about?"

"Hotch asked me If I could help him make four dozen cupcakes for Jack's Halloween fundraiser. He's going to buy everything and leave the baking to me. You guys could sit around and catch the football game." She said.

"I thought you were a tomboy and that it was against the rules for you to bake and do girly things."

"No. I like baking I just don't tell anyone. Second I'm so much of a tomboy I don't own a single dress so I can get away with baking." Stella explained.

"But you wear skirts." Dave said pointing to the one his daughter tore apart the closet to find.

"Those are rocker chick skirts they don't count." Dave stared at his daughter and pinched the bridge of his nose. "You confuse me." Dave said. "You love me." Stella smiled.

Sunday rolled around Dave and Stella entered Hotch's house. "Lead the way kind sir." Stella smiled ready to start baking.

In the living room Hotch and Dave sat watching the game. "Should I be worried?" Hotch asked. Dave nodded his head.

Three hours later Stella walked out of the kitchen snatched up a can of soda and plopped down between the two men. "Who's winning?" she asking cracking the can open.

"Redskins." Hotch said.

It suddenly dawned on the two men who were suddenly in the room with them. "You're done?"

"Yup. I just need to ice them but they have to cool and I made the icing already." She said.

"Right." Hotch said.

Half an hour later Stella left for the kitchen against to go finish her work and came back with three cup cakes handing one to Hotch the other to her father and keeping the last for herself.

"You got five dozen cupcakes. Have fun tomorrow." Stella smiled before biting the cupcake. "I love my handy work."

Hotch's phone rang. A moment later. "We've got a case. This is pretty bad. Thanks for making the cupcakes Stella I owe you one." Hotch said. Stella waved her hand in dismissed. "Come on Stella I need to get you home so you can get your clothes and then I have to go." Dave said walking out to the car.

"Bye Daddy. Be safe." Stella waved to him as he pulled away from the curb in front of Garcia's home.

The next day was Halloween and Garcia dropped off Stella at school. She wore her rocker outfit with pride her hair was teased up to look even wilder. It was dyed and her walk was flawless. A woman with attitude and full of hardcore confidence. She was a Rossi through and through.

"Hey who's she?" a Boy asked.

"That Molly Jennings." the boy's friend replied.

"Not her, her." He pointed to Stella.

"Are you nuts? That's Stella Rossi. She's a nut case man. Her father works for the FBI and I heard he carries a gun." the kid said.

"FBI? That's just a rumor man. There's no way her father works for the FBI."

"We'll just have to see about that."

Alan met Stella at her locker later that day. "Hello. My name is Alan Kenbrick. Would you like to catch a movie with me this weekend?" Alan asked.

"Stella smiled. "Sure. Tell me when and where and I'll meet you there." Stella smiled.

~.o0o.~

Stella wore jeans and sweater as she headed for the door. "Hey where do you think you're going?" Dave asked.

"On my date." She smiled before walking out the door.

"Wait a minute!" Dave jumped up from the couch. His back wasn't to keen on the sudden movement after the hard case they had just had. "What do you mean date? You didn't asked me if you could go out with some boy. Second I didn't meet him." Dave said.

"Daddy come on. You know I'm not going to do anything and if he tries anything I'll just beat him in the head." She said.

"This is the only time you get away with it. Be back in this door at ten." Dave said.

"Yes daddy." Stella walked out the door and Dave watched her take the walk to the bus stop. His nerves would never survive. It wasn't something he would be able to stand. He was too old and Stella was far too young. Dave ordered a pizza and ate a two slices before falling asleep for a bit of a nap.

Dave sat in the doctor's office waiting for Stella to come back out. He was praying his hardest that his daughter had not been so careless as to get knocked up at such a young age. She had so much going for her. Stella came out of the examination room. 

"Well?" he asked.

Stella looked at her feet with shame. Dave's fear had been confirmed. It wasn't that be blamed Stella' solely. No he blamed the boy more because the boy was the one who should have wrapped it up. He was going to hunt down the little punk and fill him with lead. But for now he could figure out how he was going to take to being a grandfather.

Dave woke up with a cold sweat on his forehead just in time to see Stella walking through the front door with two minutes to spare. Dave jumped up from the couch. "Did he hurt you? Touch you? Force you to do anything you didn't want too?" He began turning her this way and that to look her over.

"Dad I'm fine. The date was very nice. We went to the movies with his order brother and his brother's girlfriend. They were very nice." She smiled.

"Glad you enjoyed yourself because tomorrow I'm shipping you off to the convent to become a nun." Dave said. Stella rolled her eyes before petting Mudgie on the head and going up to bed. Her father was getting nuttier everyday when it came to her.

Three weeks later Dave planned it just right so when Stella went on her date her date had to come to the door to meet him. Dave had Morgan and Hotch over along with Reid. They said it was to watch the football game he had recorded. They were going to teach Reid the game.

She wasn't stupid she knew they were going to pick her date apart. Down stairs Dave was in the kitchen with the others fuming. "Dave where's your gun?" Hotch asked.

"I'm not telling you that." Dave said. Hotch rolled his eyes at his friend and reached behind Dave pulling the gun from his waistband. Morgan and Reid shook their heads. "I'll be keeping this." The doorbell rang.

"I got it." Stella came running down the stairs and went to get the door.

A minute later she wandered into the kitchen with Alan. "Daddy this is Alan. Alan my dad and his co-workers Hotch, Reid and Morgan. Hotch why are you holding a gun?" she looked at him.

Alan had a scared look on his face. "They aren't going to hurt you. You'll be fine. I'll be right back." Stella dashed up stairs. "So what kind of grades do you get?" Dave asked.

"I'm a B student sir." Alan stammered.

"Good. Have her back by ten. Anything longer and I'll be hunting you down. I may be old but I'm still a good shot." Dave warned.

"Dad." Stella gave them a warning glance and left with Alan for the movies.

"I've been dreading this day since day three." Dave moaned shaking his head.


	17. Christmas Breakup

"Alright put the car into gear." Dave directed his daughter. "Nope stop turn off the car."

"What do you mean turn off the car? What I do?" Stella looked at him.

"Seatbelt kid. There's no way in hell you're driving without it. A seatbelt could be the reason you live of die in a car accident." Dave said.

"Alright, alright." Stella put on the seatbelt and turned the car on and put it into gear again. She checked her blind spots and mirrors before slowly easing her way out of the driveway.

After five minutes of jerking their way down the street Dave made her stop. "Put your left leg under you." he instructed.

Stella sat on her leg. "Now put your foot on the gas lightly when you need the break moves your right foot over to the break and press down slowly." Dave directed. They began making their way down the street very slowly. "There we go. Now lightly press down on the gas and give the car a little juice you're not driving Miss Daisy." he told her.

"No I'm driving her husband." Stella told him.

"Don't make me put you out the drivers seat." Dave told her.

"Alright, alright. Don't have a cow I was only joking." Stella told him. Dave rolled his eyes.

"Okay now turn right." They reached the end of the block. "We have to turn back." Stella said looking at the clock. "Why? This is your driving lesson. Now turn right." Dave told her.

"I have a date in an hour." She said.

"You have got to be kidding me Stella." Dave said.

"Sorry Dad. But we're going Christmas shopping for our families today. It's the only chance I really get right now." Stella said.

~.o0o.~

"That boy is going to make me murder him." Dave told Hotch.

"You mean Stella's boyfriend? What did he do this time?" Hotch asked. It was times like this he was happy to only raise his son Jack. No daughters for him. "He stood her up. She went to the mall and waited for him. She came home and was pissed. His excuse was his dog needed to be taken to the hospital." Dave told him.

"I already see where this is going." Hotch told him.

"The kids first broken heart and I'm the one who gets the tears. Wanna trade kids for a few days?" Dave smirked.

"Nope. But are we joining you for Christmas tree hunting. Jack wants us to go to the forest and cut one down this time. So we'll be pretty busy if we do." Hotch told him.

"I rather like the idea. Get Stella away from that boy." Dave said. "Saturday it is then." Hotch told him hiding his smirk from the older man.

~.o0o.~

"What?" Stella cracked one brown eye open at her father.

"Wake up kid we're Christmas tree hunting." Dave told her.

"Go away. It's seven am." She frowned. "Yes and a very energetic seven year old wants to go Christmas tree hunting with his favorite cousin." Dave told her.

"I'm sleeping." She turned over. Dave rolled his eyes and looked at Mudgie. "Get her up boy." Mudgie had the girl awake and glaring at her father with all the anger a sleepy teen could muster.

"Be down in ten or I'm sending Jack in here for you. Won't be to happy about that now will you?" Dave smirked.

"You are beyond evil." Stella grumbled as she stood up. "I gotta get dressed." Dave left the room and went down stairs to Hotch and Jack.

"She'll be down in a few minutes buddy." Dave smiled at the younger Hotchner.

"Stella!" Jack jumped up and hugged the teen. "Hey Jackie."

"Come on Stella lets go. We gotta get the trees for Christmas." Jack pulled her toward the door. "Alright let me get my coat."

"We'll see you outside." Dave and Hotch walked out the front door. When the two finally walked out Dave locked the door and they loaded up in the car.

"Oh a hunting we will go. A hunting we will go. Hi-ho a dar-ri-o a hunting we will go." Jack sang. An hour later they got out where the forest began to get thick and you could see more and more wildlife. "Look for a good one Jack." Hotch told his son.

Stella followed Jack as they went looking for the perfect trees to take home for the holiday. Dave sneezed two times in a row and Stella looked at him. "Stop staring at me like that." he told her.

"You're going to catch a cold." Stella told him.

"I am not." he shook his head looking at the teen.

Three days later Dave was in his bed sneezing and choking up his right lung for all they knew. "What did I tell you?" Stella said as she walked into the room with a steaming bowl of soup.

"Shut it." Dave told her. His nose was stuffed up and he sounded funny. Stella tried to hold back her smirk but couldn't as she set the tray across his lap. "Sorry your sick old man but next time you'll take your own advice and get a flu shot for your self." She told him.

The doorbell rang through the house. "Who's that?"

"Garcia she's bringing me a few things. Eat up then you take your medicine and you can clock out for the night." She told him.

Down stairs Stella hugged Garcia. "Thanks Penny. Dad is going to love this gift I know it." Stella smiled handing the gift over to the plump woman. "How did you hide it?" She asked. "He was sleep when it came He's been upstairs since. Won't let him down." Stella told her.

"I'll keep it safe till then. See you tomorrow. Do you need me to bring anything by?"

"No we're covered. See you later Penny." Stella waved good-bye and closed the door. Christmas was going to be great. She and Alan had planned another day to go shopping for everyone else and if she kept up with giving Dave his medicine (even though he whined about it) she would have him well in another day or two.

Stella was not a stupid girl. She was a very smart girl, with a good head on her shoulders. So when he boyfriend Alan didn't meet her by the library so they could do their Christmas shopping together. She sat waiting for twenty minutes. Alan had gym last class of the day and would always shower before leaving. She went to the gym to see if she could find him.

Alan had another girl in his arms kissing her deeply and smiling. "You cheating dog." Stella glared as she stomped up to him. The girl looked at her with wide eyes. "I thought you weren't dating anyone?" she looked at Alan.

"I'm not. I don't know who this chick is." Alan looked down his nose at Stella.

Stella turned to leave and then whipped back around punching Alan in the nose and then kneeing him in the groin before storming away. "Try cheating now."

"So you seem to be okay with this whole dating thing." JJ pointed out.

"Stella's seventeen she's smart and I know I can trust her. Alan is a decent boy and so far he's kept his hands in his pockets which is how I prefer it." Dave said.

"Where is Stella?" Reid asked.

"She and Alan are going Christmas shopping. She should be here by six." Dave said looking at the clock. Five minutes later Stella stormed into the BAU ready to kill something. "What happened?" Dave asked.

"I'm going to the basement." Stella ground out. Throwing her bag in Dave's office and turning around. Dave grabbed Stella's arm and pulled her to face him. "What happened Stella?"

"Alan cheated on me and when the girl asked him about it denied even knowing me." She stood there as the tears fell down her cheeks. "Come here." Dave hugged Stella close. "He's an idiot because he'll be missing you in the long run. You are the best thing in the world." Dave said.

"But it's not fair I didn't do anything wrong so why me?" she sobbed. Dave feared this day would be coming soon. He sat Stella down on his couch in the office.

"Not all boys are going to realize what they have good until it's gone. Believe you me I know. Like your mother I didn't know how good I had it until she left from my life. She had been the perfect woman for me. There is a boy out there just for you I dread the day you find him but I'll be happy for you." He told her.

~.o0o.~

Stella was fine by the end of the day. JJ walked her down to the basement while she squeezed off a few and took the gun back from her. "I hate boys. I'm turning asexual." Stella grumbled as she and JJ headed back up.

They were laughing when they came back up stairs. "Feeling better?" Dave asked. "Much. Still hurt though." She said. "It'll be okay. Did you at least give him what for?"

"Sure did." She smiled.

"That's my girl."

Christmas break came for both Dave and Stella. Both we stuck inside with the large amount of snow that had come down from the sky. Christmas morning Dave wandered down stairs to Find Stella in front of a bowl of cereal and Mudgie enjoying his new chew toy.

"Good morning." He yawned as he walked over to the coffee maker. "Morning Daddy." Dave hadn't been paying attention as Stella slipped from the room and back in slipping his gift on to the counter top next to him.

"Happy Christmas as they say in Britain." She smiled.

"Thanks kiddo. You didn't have to though."

"Here we go again just up the bloody thing." She told him. Dave shook his head and unwrapped the gift.

"A pocket watch. Thank you Stella." Dave told her with a smile.

"Look at the back."

Dave turned the watched over and realized where it had come from. My father's watch. Your grandfather's watch. How did you get this?" he asked.

"Nona sent it to me and told me it didn't work. She said it didn't work anymore so I had it repaired came back while you were sick. Garcia was hiding it for me." She smiled. Dave kissed the top of Stella's head. "Judging by the paper in the trash you opened your gift already." He smiled.

"Of course I did." She told him. "Thanks Dad." Stella wore Her mother's necklace, which she head left with a box of Dave's things when she disappeared from his life. Stella wore it proudly.


	18. One Good Whack

It was March when Stella was asked if she wanted to join the field hockey team.

"Hey Garcia I'll thinking about joining a spring sport." Stella said over Chinese food.

"What sport my dear?"

"Field hockey. I've seen the girls who play they have fun playing and I think it would be cool to play. I think it will be cool. It could take up some of my free time this spring." Stella said.

When Stella pitched the idea to her father Dave thought it would be good for her. But the closer they got to spring the closer they got to some of the best times they had before the kidnapping. Stella still didn't remember anything about her past. Going to see her friends in Vermont hadn't triggered anything nor had it set her back. But she was however still the same.

So when the training started six weeks before their first game Stella was coming home tired and sleepy. Ready to fall asleep but always seemed to manage to do her homework and turn it in to all her teachers and have it correct. When Stella got to the BAU after practice she found that her father was already gone for a case. A text came in for her.

Dad: Sorry Stella. Duty calls. Good luck with your game.

Stella: it's okay. Catch the guy and be safe. 

The day of Stella's first was warm and the team was ready for action. Since joining the team she made two more friend. Anne and Vicky. They were okay but usually just wanted to talk about schoolwork, field hockey and boys. It was kind of annoying but Stella usually got them to talking about music when she had her guitar around with them.

It was the first half and they were up by four points. The score was 12-8. To Stella's knowledge her father and the team were still in Oregon solving a case. Garcia was prepared if the team needed her as she watched the game cheering the team on.

Dave showed up and hid where Stella couldn't see him. "How's the game going so far?" He asked Garcia.

"Great. They are up by two points still. This is the second half of the game." Garcia gave him the summery.

"Left, left, left!" The coach screamed from the sidelines. The shot was fired and Stella's team lost. They gathered around their coach. "You did good girls. You came close. We only lost by two points. We'll win next game. Now go on home and have a good weekend." the coach told them.

"Stella you need a ride?" Vicky asked.

"Nah I got Garcia waiting for me." She waved to her friends and started walking over to the small set of bleaches. Dave walked out from behind the bleaches. "Dad!" Stella hugged the man.

"You did great kid." Dave smiled at her.

"But we lost the game." she frowned.

"You still win in my book." he smiled.

They left for home, which proved to be a good thing. Both Stella and Dave were tired and the minute they hit their pillows they were fast asleep. Like father like daughter.

~.o0o.~

"I'll see you later Dean." Stella smiled as she left her friend to head to the library to grab a book. She walked past a group of boys who were talking to each other about heaven knows what.

"Hey wait." Stella continued to walk with her headset in her ears trying to keep herself from dancing to the song. "Hey!" He touched her shoulder. She whirled around on him. Her hair fanning out dramatically.

"Hi my name is Reilly I was wondering if maybe you'd like to go grab a Rita's ice with me sometime?" he smiled.

The boy was cute and Stella liked his style. Tall, dark and handsome.

"You know my father works for the FBI?" Stella asked.

"I don't care I want to hang out with you. You seem like a pretty cool girl and you're not like the others. So how about then?" he asked with a smile.

"You're British." she finally caught on to his accent. "I'll take that as a yes. I'll meet you in front the school on Friday."

Stella got her book and went to Meet her father outside. Dave could see her walking to the car gesturing with her hands as if she were talking to herself. Dave figured his daughter had finally lost her mind rather then gaining it back.

Stella snatched the door open and leaned down to look at her father. "Do I have a some large sign hovering over my head that says 'please come ask me out'?" she asked.

"Not that I can see. Stella what's this about?" Dave asked as Stella got in a put her seatbelt on. "I got asked out again. This is boy three. I must have a sign. On my head. He wasn't easy to get rid of either." Dave half listened to his daughter. Boys were not something he drabbled in but his daughter was on a full-scale rant. N point in stopping her when she was on a roll.

Dave began to wonder if there was a sign over her head. Stella was by no means an unattractive child. She had her mother's grace and the feminine version of Dave's good looks. Valentine's day had been a bit trying for both of them though.

~.o0o.~ FLASHBACK~.o0o.~

Stella had gone to her locker after second block to get her gym clothes when seven little letters fell out of her locker. She read the names on them and threw them out. So far she had gotten a total of ten, three flowers and four roses. When she walked into the library to meet up with Dean.

"I hate this holiday. I really do." She told him sitting down with a huff.

"I've gotten two flowers today. One from you." he smiled.

"The only flower I kept was the one you gave me. I've gotten ten Valentine's cards today. I hate this holiday and I'm going to stay home next year.

"Next she'll be saying she's going to avoid prom too." Dean shook his head.

~.o0o.~ END FLASHBACK~.o0o.~

"I have a date on Friday after school. We're going to get a Rita's ice. I'll make sure his hands stay in his pockets and if he tries anything well then it won't be to hard to get him to run away." Stella told her father.

"You know there's nothing wrong with going on a date or two Stella. You are seventeen live a little. Within reason that is." Dave told her.

"You just want to see if my charm is up to par with yours." Stella grinned.

"No harm in seeing if my daughter is as great at the dating game as he old man was. There was always a woman who wanted to date me kiddo. And there still are." Dave smiled.

"Old fart." Stella smirked. She suddenly found herself looking forward to her date. So when Friday rolled around she was happy she didn't have practice and wore an outfit that said a little bit about her. A pair of ripped jeans and a slipknot band tee. Stella walked outside to the front sign and saw Reilly waiting for her.

"Good afternoon." He smiled.

"Good afternoon." They started their walk to Rita's, which was only five blocks north east of the school. During late may and June students would go right after school seeking some relief from the heat.

"So where in England are you from?" Stella asked. "I'm from Newcastle. I liked it very much there but my mother is American and we came back to take care of my grandmother. She's to old to be alone." Reilly said.

"I think I know how you feel. My grandmother is over 80 and she seems to manage for a better part of the day alone." Stella told him.

They walked and talked sharing light conversation. Reilly was a nice boy. When they reached Rita's they ordered. "I'll have a mango and strawberry." Reilly said.

"I'll have a lemon please." Stella told the woman. Stella went to reach for her wallet to pay for her own ice. "No. I asked you here I'll pay." Reilly told her handing the woman a five-dollar bill.

"So do you have plans for tomorrow?" Reilly asked.

"I have a field hockey game tomorrow. You can come and watch if you'd like." Stella offered.

"I'd like that." Reilly smiled at her. "So where are you off to now?" he asked.

"My dad's work place. I have to catch a bus and walk to get there but it's cool. I don't want to bother him he's got paper work to fill out and it's been piling up." Stella chuckled. "Well It's against my rule to let a pretty lady walk around when it starts getting dark alone. SO I will walk you." Reilly smiled at her.

They walked and they talked and laughed and joked with each other. When they reached the BAU they turned to face each other. "Thanks for walking me. If you need a bus there's one down this street and to the left. Can't miss it." Stella told him.

"What time is your game tomorrow?"

"Noon. I'll see you there." Stella smiled before dashing up the stairs.

"I'll see you there my Italian beauty." Reilly smiled before walking away.

Stella walked up stairs to the bullpen with a smile on her face. "Someone's happy." Morgan smirked.

"Why not be? It's a glorious Friday." Stella smiled.

"Okay what guy got you all happy?" Emily asked.

"What makes you think it was a guy?" she smirked.

"Because we're profilers." Dave told her with a 'duh' expression on his face.

"Whatever. He'll be at the game tomorrow. This time we're going to win." Stella said.

"Wait I want to hear about the date." Dave stopped her. "We met outside of school and walked the few blocks to get Rita's ice and then walked here. The conversation we had was very lovely thank you very much. He was a complete gentlemen and I invited him to the game tomorrow so there." Stella told her father.

~.o0o.~

The next day at the game Reilly showed up front and center and Dave was already they're watching. The ball was passed and knocked into another players stick at the wrong angle sending it airborne. Before anyone could react Stella sat on the ground clutching her bleeding head a feeling a bit dizzy.

Everything happened in a blur as they were soon at the hospital and she was being forced to stay awake until they were sure she wouldn't slip into a coma.

Even the doctor said she took one hell of a whack to the side of her head. Dave took Stella home and let her have the couch where she fell into a deep sleep.

~.o0o.~

Stella was dreaming she knew that much. What she was dreaming about she couldn't tell. It all seemed foreign to her. Like it wasn't her mind. She saw a wall before her. It was large and for the most part happy. There were pictures of sorts. Like pictures of a little girl who she figured was herself and pictures of a woman with eyes like her's.

She had seen them before but where? It suddenly dawned on her what she was seeing. He memories. Everything she was missing. Not all of them but some of them. They all flooded around her. Stella shot up on the couch and looked at the digital clock on the cable box. It was just after midnight.

Stella jumped up and ran up stairs into Dave's room waking the man up. "What's wrong Stella?"

"There was a letter my mom sent you. She made me give it to you. No Blake gave it to you I sat in the car." She said.

"What are you talking about Stella?"

"I'm trying to remember. It's all scrambled but I know it. I must sort it out. Mom's gone but I know that. No I remember sign language and Nona. She gave me something for Christmas my first year here. A necklace?" Stella rambled.

"You remember? What do you remember?" Dave asked.

"Bits. Bits and pieces not everything. I'm from Vermont and I've never been on a boat before the trip we took to New York." She went on. Stella very quickly tired herself out and went into her own bed where she proceed to fall asleep and sleep late into the next day.


	19. Crisis

"Stella you have to sit down and think for a little. I know your happy you have some of your memories back, so am I, but trying to put them into order will make your head hurt." he told her.

Dave sighed when Stella looked at Mudgie and started telling the dog everything she remembered as if he were not there. Dave was jumping with joy that Stella had her memory back. Problem is it was scattered and she desperately wanted to sort it out. Taking Stella's cell phone he sent a text to Reilly asking him to the house. He received a reply.

Reilly: we could go to the cinema or the park. Maybe the book store.

This kid might not be so back, Dave thought. He sent back a reply and waited for the boy to get there. Busying him in the kitchen so Stella would have to get the door. When she answered she looked a bit stunned and then realized who had sent the message.

"Let me get my bag and we can head out." she told Reilly before walking into the kitchen. "Daddy I'm going to hurt you when I get back. See you later." She told him. "Have fun kiddo."

Reilly walked Stella home hours later when the sun was beginning to set. Dave was there of course watching the game. "Hi Dad. Hey Mudgie." she pet the happy hound between his ears. "Have fun?"

"You bet. Reilly wants to meet you. He thinks FBI work is fascinating. I invited him for dinner if you don't have a case next Saturday." She told him.

The team didn't get a case that week much to Dave's dismay. He was beginning to like this Reilly kid. He was smart and always walked Stella back home or to the BAU when they hung out. They would hang out at the book store or go to the park. Dave knew it was wrong but Stella always told the truth but he had Garcia track her phone only once. Okay it was two times but that was it.

Dave found Stella sitting on her bed looking at the photo albums. "Dad did I ever take a trip to Washington D.C. before I moved in with you?" she asked.

"Another memory?" Stella nodded.

"You've been on a trip to D.C. twice. Once when you were about ten and again for your eight grade class trip and you had gone with your three friends Trevor, Jimmy and Paul. Do you remember you were in a band with them when you lived in Vermont?" Dave asked.

"I remember we went on a trip to go see them. Most of the time we sat in the garage playing music while you chatted with their folks. You guys came to hear us a play a few times. I remember mom now she was there a lot watching us. Cheering us on and saying we were just as good as any other band out there." Stella spoke.

Later that night Hotch called Dave to ask him if he could watch Jack for a few hours while he did something for his son which was going to be a surprise which had been talking about for months now. "Sure Hotch. If you need me to help I will be there in a second." Dave told him.

"Aren't meeting Stella's new boyfriend tomorrow?" Hotch asked.

"He's not her boyfriend they're just hanging out as she puts it. But he wants top meet me. So far he's a good kid. He walks her home and to the BAU if they hang out after school. Do you know he called the house after Stella got hit in the head with that ball?" Dave said.

"So the kid cares about his friend. Nothing wrong there." Hotch told him.

"I'd like to keep her from dating after that last boy. Even Dean approves of them. I don't know what the boys think And I don't know sign language so talking to Kelly is out." Dave told him.

"Calm down Dave. Stella's happy and summer break is about to start up again soon. Next year she'll be a senior you have a lot to look forward to. Prom, graduation and then she's off to college. Stop thinking so hard about her possible love interest and go spend some time with your kid while you got the chance to do so. Bye Dave." Hotch said.

"Bye Aaron." Dave thought for a moment. Was being a father really this complicated? Dave walked back upstairs to find Stella lying on the bed. "I'm going to bed early. I've got to do laundry and dust in the morning." She told him.

"No you need to eat." Dave told her. "Ate before you came home. See?" she said pointing to the plate on her desk. The ketchup was still wet. So not long ago. "Alright I'll leave you be." Dave walked over to the bed and kissed Stella's forehead.

"Night Kiddo."

"Night Daddy." Stella turned over and closed her eyes.

~.o0o.~

"Dad behave. Jack don't throw food." Stella warned them as she went to get the door. Reilly walked in and stood with his back straight and looked Dave in the eye as he spoke. "Good afternoon Mr. Rossi. Pleasure to finally meet you."

Reilly gave his hand to shake and Dave took it. "This is Jack. Dad's co-workers son. They're good buddies." Stella told him. "Hey little man." Reilly gave Jack his hand to shake. Jack shook it giving his best Hotchner glare. "Come on dinner's ready and getting cold." Stella said.

The four sat down for dinner and Dave found that he liked the young man Stella had brought home. He was a good kid and by no means stupid.

Dave sighed to himself. Stella had one more year of school then it was off to college. He hadn't had much time to get to know her but what he did get he made sure he had made the most of it. Stella was his world and cheesy as it was. But she was his flesh and blood and he would protect her. She didn't need much of that Stella had gone to a few self-defense classes after she was kidnapped.

As her memory now served she had gone to a few when she lived in Burlington. Dave was going to have to get over it. He should have prepared himself for parenthood when he had the chance. Maybe a son would have been easier. But Stella was different. She was smart and cunning. Stella laughed about something Reilly said.

After dinner Reilly said good-bye and thanked them for having him over. He shook Dave's hand again.

"I like him uncle Dave." Jack said after the door had closed.

"I think your cousin does too." Dave smirked looking at Stella.

"No Daddy I don't like him like that. We're good friends. He's smart and has a good taste in music. I don't think you can handle another boyfriend what with everything else that's been going on. My memory's coming back, I'm learning to drive, I'll be a senior next year, I have prom, and graduation. I don't me having another boyfriend is a good thing at this point." Stella smiled. "I'll spare you the agony Daddy." Stella kissed Dave's cheek before heading up stairs.

Dave looked at the side table by the couch. Stella had put a picture of her mother there. One of her favorites. Teresa was smiling at the camera her long curly hair fell around her shoulders. "You could have told me you know. I could have been better prepared for all of this. Maybe. But I'm glad I have her. Best thing to ever happen Teresa." Dave smiled.

"Uncle Dave who are you talking to?" Jack asked.

"No one kiddo." Dave said looking at Jack. He looked back at Teresa's picture and could have sworn she looked right him and winked.

~.o0o.~

Two weeks following the inner Dave found him standing in the mirror after shaving. He knew he had gray hairs in his beard. He'd had those since he was thirty five but he began to see them in his hair at his temples. "Stella?" He called to his daughter.

Stella appeared in the door way. "Make sure you clean out the sink." She reminded him. "Do you think I'm old?" he asked. "Why did I have a feeling this was coming? Daddy you're not old you're just having a mid-life crisis. Wonder what mom would have done." Stella said walking away.

By the next week while the team was on a case Dave felt old after the unsub had cold him such and made a not to decent job about Dave getting it up anymore. Hotch had bring Dave home after he got drunk upon their return. He was a surprisingly giggly drunk. He always seemed to talk nonsense and make himself laugh.

"Stella's not going to be happy about this." Hotch said as he semi-carried Dave to the door and opened it. When he flicked on the light Stella stood there with a less them pleased look upon her face. "Stell what are you doing up Kiddo?" Dave chuckled.

"He's drunk." She stated looking at Hotch. "Yup. Help me get him up to bed or should be put him in one of the guest rooms?" Hotch asked. "Guess room." Stella flicked on the hall light and went to open the door as Hotch brought Dave in. Dave fell face first in the bed. Hotch watched as Stella threw an extra blanket over the man and pull off his shoes. "Thanks for bringing him home Hotch."

"No problem. But what's wrong with him?" Hotch asked. "You didn't profile him?" Stella asked. "No. We're not meant to do that. We're friends and we made that promise." He told her. "Mid-life crisis." She said. "Night Hotch."

The next morning Dave rolled over with a groan. "My head." He winced. "It's your own fault you know." Stella told him. "Please stop screaming." Dave held his head. "I'm not." Stella continued to speak at normal volume. It was Dave's own fault. "Come one old man. Its noon and I went out for a minute to get something. So sober up, shower and put on a t-shirt you won't miss." She told him.

Dave did as he was told and an hour later returned to see Stella watching Being Human. "Stella?"

"Go into the bathroom I'll be right there." Stella said. Dave did as he was told. Why is he listening to a seventeen year old? Stella wandered into the bathroom with an old towel. "Let's get started." Stella said sitting her father on the toilet seat as she smirked.

Forty-five minutes later Dave stood in the mirror looking about twenty years younger. Much to his dismay. He would miss his goatee. "Now it can grow back you know. Come on we're going shopping we need food." Stella said.

Dave drove to their usual store but couldn't see the point in Stella's plan. "Okay I'm going to take the cart to get the fruits and vegetables we need. You go look for some of the other things on the list." Stella handed him the paper. Dave was looking at chicken when a woman of about 45 to 50 walked over and looked at the chicken as well. "Which do you think is better: legs or breast?" she asked.

"Depends how you cook it up I would say." Dave smirked. "Breast it is then. Chicken Alfredo for dinner tonight. But I'm having trouble finding the right noodles. What would you recommend?" the woman asked.

"I'm not sure I make my own. True blue Italian cooking." Dave smiled. Stella watched from near by and smiled. She knew it would work. "I think I'm a bit old for you." the woman told him. "I may not look it but I'm in my fifties." Dave smirked. "As am I." she smiled. "Daddy I found oranges on sale. Oh hello." Stella smiled at the woman.

"This is my daughter Stella. Stella this is Mrs.?"

"Ms. and please call me Janet."

"Pleasure to meet you Ms. Janet I'll finish the shopping list Dad you stay and talk." Stella walked away with a smile. "You're married?"

"No. My daughter will vouch for me." Dave told her. The two continued to talk until Stella sent Dave a text. "I'll call you." the woman told him with a smile. Dave walked out to the car and saw Stella leaning on it her right eye brow reaching for her hair line and the left side of her mouth twitching upward. "You set that up." Dave frowned.

"No. That was all you. Just needed someone to approach you this time. Now look you got a date. Not just a number and Date." Stella smiled. "Devious." Dave glared but he smiled.

"Love you too. Old man."


	20. Work

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stella is marked with a star  
> Kelly with a @

Dave was humming as he put on his jacket. "Whoa someone's got a date. Is it with that lovely Ms. Janet?" Stella smiled climbing onto her father's bed. Mudgie climbed on and sat next to her.

"Yup and I have you to thank for that. I'll be home in a few hours I'll text you to let you know I'm alive. Will you be alright by yourself?" Dave asked. "Yes. Kelly's coming over we're watching movies tonight. I got pizza on the way. I know the drill call in case of an emergency. If there's a fire go next door. Blah, blah, blah and all that." Stella smiled at Dave as he stood in the door.

"Have fun Daddy. But your not bringing home a fourth wife. Have fun." she kissed her father's cheek and nudged him out the door. Kelly waved as she stepped over the very slow sitting bushes.

@Looking good Mr. Rossi. She's a lucky lady.

"She said break a leg." Stella smiled as she waved to her father before she and Kelly entered the house. Dave came back a few hours later with a smile on his face. Stella and Kelly were still up. "Hello girls." He waved to them. "Don't stay up to late." He told them.

@Must have been a good date.

Stella smiled. The next day however Dave was called away for a case and Stella went over to Garcia's place. "I am awesome." Stella smiled. "Why is that my mini Rossi?"

"Thanks to me Dad went on a date yesterday and came back all giggly and smiley. Must have been good. But she will not be wife number four." Stella smiled. "You my dear have learned well and have earned a cookie." Garcia smiled passing her the tin.

Summer quickly came up. Stella sat watching the clock with Dean during their final class of the day. "Ten." Dean smiled.

"Nine."

"Eight."

"Seven." Stella was ready to run.

"Six."

"Five."

"Four."

"Three." She could feel her muscles getting ready for the mad dash to the door.

"Two."

"One!" they called together and jumped from their seats and running out the door. "Summer is finally here and next year we're seniors." Dean high-five Stella. "You gotta love summer." Stella smiled. "What are you going to do?" Dean asked.

"I got a part time job at b&n so I'll be there or at the pool with Kelly. I have to save up for prom, yearbook, cap and gown. This is all so much fun." Stella laughed. "I'll see you later Dad's waiting out front for me." Stella waved to dead and ran for the door. Her locker had already been cleaned out the day before. She took what she wanted home and what she didn't go into the recycling pin if it could go. She had a lot of water bottles in her locker.

Stella walked outside to find Garcia waiting for her and not her father. "They got called away on a case and hour ago. We'll swing to the house so you can get your stuff." Garcia told her. Stella nodded. She started work tomorrow. Eight am she had to be there and it was on the way from Garcia's place Garcia could drop her off.

The next day Garcia dropped Stella off and went on to the BAU. "Garcia where's Stella?" Rossi asked. "She is at work. I have to pick her up at six." Garcia told him. "Okay. I'll call her later." Dave said.

Stella was having a great first day of work. Three people promised that if they ever came back looking for books they would look for her. Garcia picked Stella up at six as promised and the two headed back to the BAU for a bit before Garcia took Stella over to Kelly's around nine because she had the next day off. She had every sunday off.

"Hey Stella." Dave finally got the chance to call her.

"Hi Daddy. How it going so far?"

"Pretty good. How was your first day at work?"

"Good. Really good. Sold lots of books. Pretty good record for a first day. Get back to work I know you're not done yet. So get to stepping. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Alright Stella. Good night."

"Night Daddy."

@So your dad is on another case?

*Yes. Now tell me about this boy you are dating my friend.

@Me? What about that boy Reilly? We should ask them if they want to hang with us at the pool tomorrow.

*You my friend are a total genius.

They each text the boys to invite them to the pool. Both said they would be joining them at the pool. It was going to be a good day tomorrow.

@Don't forget the sun lotion. I don't want to burn again. It hurts like hell.

*I know it does. Oh don't forget I won't be here the last two weeks of August I'm going back up to Vermont to chill with the guys before Senior year starts.

@I remember. Gonna play some more music and make noise? 

*Darn Skippy. Wait don't you get your implant in another week and a half?

@Yes. So are you going to help me with the speech?

*I'm with you 100% my friend. Maybe when you get used to it all I'll record the guys and I playing so you can hear some good music.

@Really? I'd love to hear you guys play. It looks like fun.

*Then it's settled.

Kelly's father walked into the basement, which was where the girls could usually be found when Stella was over. He motioned for them to come eat. Stella and Kelly raced for it Kelly only won because she tried to trip Stella.

Over in the state of Idaho Rossi and the team were still searching for their killer. "How did Stella's first day or work go?" Hotch asked. "Pretty good. She sounded pretty happy with it." Dave told him. "That's good. Now come on it's time for dinner."

The next day the girls left for the pool and met the boys half way. Reilly needed help trying to interpret what the other two were saying. Reilly and Stella were sitting by the edge of the pool when Reilly looked up at the sky and frowned. "What?"

"Look." He pointed to the sky. "The forecast predicted it would be cloudy that day. But rainy it had not. "Crap." Stella slipped into the pool to get Kelly and Jace, the boy she brought along.

*We gotta go. It's gonna rain soon.

@This is so unfair. The weather never wants to work the way I want it too.

*Tell me about it.

Stella went to grab the bags while Kelly went to find Jace. All of them got together at the gate. It seemed others were getting wise and beginning to leave as well. "Crap we're not going to make it back in time." Reilly said. Stella signed this to Kelly and Jace. They both agreed. Stella got an idea and they headed for the nearest bus stop. They boarded the bus none to soon.

Stella started signing to Kelly.

*We're going to the bookstore. We can at least child out and read while we wait for the rain to let up a bit.

@I can dig it.

Before they got to their stop they made sure that phones and electronics were wrapped in dry clothing or towels before putting them back in their bags. When they got off the bus the four teens dashed down the street for the bookstore and ran in each panting. They were able to use the bathrooms and change into their clothes. Garcia had called while they had been running down the street She would pick them up and take everyone home.

The minute she and Stella got back to Garcia's apartment Stella wanted to do nothing but pass out on the couch. But first she had to set out her clothes for work the next day and shower. When she had her break the next day Stella called her father while he had a bit of time on his hands. "You guys don't have rain out there do you?" She asked.

"No. Why?"

"Cause it came down yesterday. We had to cut our pool trip short and run to the used bookstore. Garcia came and got us and took us home. Oh Kelly's getting an implant which mean she'll be able to hear." Stella filled him in. "I have to go. I'll see you soon Stella. Have a good day at work." He said before hanging up.


	21. My Eyes

Dave was just getting back from the case and it was one of the longest they had had that year. Running well over a week's time. It was Thursday and he couldn't wait to go home and see two of his favorite people in the world. Stella and Mudgie. Dave walked through the door to find Kelly and Stella sitting on the couch and Mudgie rushing over to greet him.

"Hi Daddy." Stella jumped up from the couch and came to hug and kiss her father's cheek. Kelly got up and walked over to stand in front of Dave. She swallowed and took a deep breath.

"'Ello Mi'ter Rowsi." she said to him. Dave waved and smiled. "No Dad she can hear you now say hi." Stella told him. "Hello Kelly." Dave told her. Kelly smiled. When Kelly went home a few hours later. "I get the next few days off." Dave told Stella. "Cool. I'll be working. I've already asked for time at the end of August so I can't take anymore. Which means you can have the house to yourself the next few days." Stella smiled.

Dave thought to himself a moment and then thought of Janet. They could sit and watch a movie. Maybe Dave could cook dinner this time. He called her up and they set a date for the Friday. And early dinner starting at four.

Friday came rolling around and Stella was on her way home from work. By the time she got off the bus and had walked to the front door it was seven something. Stella turned her key in the lock and pushed the door open and stopped in the door. "Oh my god." She shouted as she covered her eyes.

Dave was somewhat entangled with Janet on the couch. Janet missing her shirt and he skirt had been pushed up her thighs while her father didn't have a shirt on. "Damn." Dave hissed. Stella slammed the door shut and started walking away. She continually repeated inside her head 'it burns' in any way that a teenager would when they find their parent in such a way.

Stella didn't come back for a whole hour. When she did Dave was sitting on the couch waiting for her. "So how was work?" He asked. "Fine." Stella didn't take her usual place on the couch next to her father. She took the large armchair instead. "Stella I'm so-"

"No. Don't you dare. Drop it the sooner I can burn my eyes the better. Better yet maybe I can lose my memory again." Stella said.

"Stella be serious." Dave said.

"Serious? Daddy I came home and found you on the couch about to shag the woman. I have to sit on that couch you know." Stella said. "Next thing I know you'll be trying to give me The Talk."

"Well you see when a man and a woman-"

"Just stop. These words are not coming out of your mouth. If memory serves me correctly mom gave me that talk I don't want it twice. Especially after seeing my father hugged up on the couch. Spare me." Stella got up and ran for her room hands over her ears chanting "Lalalalalalala." as she went.

Stella came out of her room the next morning and when she saw Dave standing in the kitchen she avoided his eyes. "Stella you can't still be mad at me." Dave told her.

"Who's mad? I'm not mad. I'm just trying to get over the fact that my father was about to shag on the couch where his daughter and his daughter's best friend sit. Are you mad? Don't answer that this is a done conversation." Stella had a deep blush on her face.

Dave and Stella left it alone at that. He needed to plan that out better next time. Few more weeks Stella would be off in Vermont. She'd be fine with her friends. Each had offered up residence for her stay. Stella had the day off and went to work with her father. She sat at one of the empty desks in the bullpen. Rossi was in his office catching up on some of his paper work. Morgan was taking a few minutes to flirt with a woman who had wandered into the bullpen.

"The Sahara desert is a rather mysteries place don't you think?" He smiled at the woman.

THWAT

"So many wonders the Sahara desert holds." he continued.

THWAT

"Did you know that Sahara desert-"

THWAT

"Who keeps making that sound?" Hotch asked coming out of his room.

"I'm just telling this lovely lady here a few facts about the Sahara de-"

"Oh for the love of God! One more time Derrick Morgan and I swear to you I will throw something heavy at your skull." Stella threatened him. Rossi came out of his office after hearing Stella's out burst. "What are you doing to my kid?" He looked at not only Stella's face but Reid's as well for they both had matching red marks.

"I was only talking about the Sahara desert."

THWAT

"Morgan Sahara means desert. You keep saying desert. Shut up." Reid went off.

The woman Morgan had been talking too had already left. "But the guy who was talking about in the documentary said Sahara desert, desert."

SMACK

Stella smiled as Morgan hunched over clutching his now aching head. "Stella was that necessary?" Dave looked at his daughter. "Yes. Yes it was? Don't give me that look. You would have found it annoying to if you actually had to listen to him." Stella told her father who was staring at her red forehead.

"Stop beating away your brain cells." Dave told her. "Morgan knock it off." Dave told him. Morgan had a mouse shaped mark on his head. Both Reid and Stella smiled.

Stella sat in her room playing her guitar. It was to hot to do much else. Mudgie saw lay out on the floor watching her play and sing every word to each song. She had another week and a half before she had to have everything ready to go for her trip.

Dad: how you holding up?

Stella: I'm held up in my room. Mudgie is in here with me.

Dad: okay. Might be home a bit early.

Stella: okay. Did the BAU cooling system short out again?

Dad: you are a mind reader.

Stella: :) going to take a nap. Night, night.

Dad: good night kiddo.

Dave came home to find Stella fast asleep on her bed her laptop was open in front of her. Dave shook his head and walked over to her bed and closed the laptop and put it at her desk. Mudgie looked up at him. "Go back to sleep." he whispered.

Mudgie whined at him. "You staying here or coming with me?" Mudgie looked at Stella and lay back down. "Okay." Dave walked into his own room happy that Stella turned on his AC. He found his camera and walked back into her room. Snapping a quick picture to use as black mail in the future he went back to his room with a smile.

"Stella came down stairs a bit later looking for something to eat. Dave stood in the kitchen making him a sandwich. "Give me the camera." She said. "What are you talking about?" Dave looked at her.

"Don't try to lay Dad. Give me the camera I know you snapped a picture of me passed out. I was too lazy to get up earlier." She told him.

"I still don't know what you're talking about." Dave tried to hide his smile.

"Don't even go there. I'm your daughter and if you can tell if I'm lying then you know I can tell when you is where is that bloody camera." Stella glared at him. "All right. On top of the fridge." Dave told her.

"I win." Stella walked out of the room with the camera. Dave feed a bit of ham to Mudgie. "To bad she doesn't know there are copies. Shh don't tell anyone." Dave laughed to himself.


	22. Trip

"See you in two weeks kid. Have fun." Dave told Stella. 

"Don't get hurt. Try not to kill anyone if you can help it and no picking on Reid." Stella smiled. 

"Bye Stella." Dave hugged his daughter and sent her on her way. Stella was heading to Vermont to spend two weeks with her friends. She had been waiting for this trip all summer and for great reason. She and her friends were about to enter their last year of high school.

Stella got off the plane three and half hours later and walked about looking for baggage claim. Once she found her bag and guitar Stella carried everything to the entrance.

"Hey Stella!" someone called. Stella spotted Paul, Trevor and Jimmy. They rushed over to her and attacked their long lost friend with hugs. 

"Guess what?" Jimmy asked. 

"What?" Stella looked at him.

"I got a ride now." he said.

"You lie."

"He doesn't. He got a ride. And the better part is we all fit. We got this." Paul laughed. 

"Well lets hit it." she said picking up her stuff and following the boys out. When they came to a white van Stella stopped and looked at it. 

"You got a pedo van?" she looked at Jimmy.

"Shut up." he said.

"We got some paint so you can help with painting this bad boy. But first let's get you back to the house and throw out some of these songs. Those three you sent us were really good and we wanna break them in." Trevor shared.

"No Jimmy take that left up there. It's less crowded." Stella pointed out. 

"Yeah my friend Kelly just got her hearing implant so I promised her some awesome music made by us of course. She can't wait for me to get back home. This is gonna be so much fun." Stella smiled.

"Hit the radio." Paul told Jimmy who kicked on a heavy song. When they arrived at Paul's house Paul grabbed her bag and took it around the back to the daughter house they set up for Stella to use. It had a bed and dresser. Set up with AC and cable. It had been Paul's sister's room before she left for college.

"You guys aren't hungry?" Paul's mother asked. 

"No thanks." They all dashed into the garage to get started.

"Stella take the mike." She did.

"One, two, three, four," They tore into the song and didn't miss a beat. They smiled at each other as they continued through the song as if they had been playing it for weeks. Stella sang every word just right.

"That was perfect." Jimmy smiled. 

"That was serious." Paul smiled. 

"So I hear we have a gig in three days." Stella smiled at her friends. 

"Yup. We're playing a little club called Back Beat. It's for six and up but they card you and make sure under-ages can't drink. We got the stage all night." Trevor explained. "So what's our line up?" Paul asked.

"Why not just wing?" Stella asked. 

"I can dig it." Jimmy told her. 

"Same." They all looked at Trevor. 

"You know I'm in." he said. Stella's phone started ringing. 

"Oh crap forgot to call daddy." She got up and walked away answering her phone.

"Yes Daddy. It went fine. I know, I'm sorry. I was to excited. We just played our first song. Dad says hi. All right. I'll call you tonight. Bye dad." she hung up. "So what next?" she smiled at them.

They played until the streetlights came up. They sat around the garage talking and chatting called in a pizza and sat out back. Everyone was unplugged and they fiddled around until it got a little on the late side. Stella said good night and walked around the back to the daughter house. Where she fell face first in the bed to sleep. The next morning she showered and what not for the day.

She and the boys were about to kick it up when Paul's mother made them stop before the first note could be played. No playing before twelve noon and no playing after seven at night. So they wandered around with their boards visiting their old hangouts. "So your memory just what came back?" Trevor asked.

"I don't really know how to explain it. The ball hit me in the head and when I finally got the chance to lie down and sleep everything came back. It's like watching a dam in a movie. It has a leak and it suddenly gets bigger and bigger until it breaks. It didn't do that it just broke. Everything came all at once. But I couldn't remember when it happened to me." Stella said.

"Like what?" Paul asked. 

"Like we went on that field trip with our school. I couldn't tell if we had been in middle school or if it had been before I moved. I had to set it in order and it was a pain. I went through photo album after photo album trying to piece it all together. I have it sorted out now but it was a pain for the first few weeks getting it all in order." Stella explained.

"Wit double checks everything." Trevor called over to Paul and the others as he carried the last amp over.

"We got everything already man. Just put the last amp in the back close the door and get it." Jimmy said. 

"Now lets hit it." Stella said. They drove to the club and unloaded in the back. "Hey how much we getting paid for this?" Stella asked. 

"200 each." Trevor said. 

"Hot damn I'm going home with a full wallet." Stella smiled.

They set up on stage and went through sound check. "We're so hitting taco bell after this." Jimmy said. 

"All you ever think about it food." Paul told him. 

"Ready?" Jimmy asked.

"Hit it." They ripped into the first song and the crowed started to move almost instantly. They smiled at each other as they kicked in another song. "This next song is for our female friend here who can't ever wait to play it. Stella would you do the honors?" Paul asked. Stella started Sound of madness and out of the gate it had everyone moving.

"This next song there will be a change in the line up. Cause I'm not a girl but she is." Paul and Stella switched off. Stella sang while the guys played. There were cheers and whoops from guys and girls alike.

When they finally finished out their set they packed up got paid and headed for taco bell. "I love this stuff." Jimmy smiled as he bit into his taco.

"You head home tomorrow night. You know we're gonna be bored up here without you right?" Trevor said.

"Yeah. But you'll see me next summer. We gotta make money for the year and next year we're gonna need it more then ever. We're hitting college." Stella said.

"But I always thought we'd be going to college together." Paul said.

"Yeah am I'm trying to keep my old man from freaking out. This is my last year of school so I've got prom, and graduation coming and then I'm off to college in the fall and Dad's back to being by himself. I don't think he'll be to happy about that." Stella told her friends.

"But he spent years not knowing you even existing so what's wrong with him living with out you for a few months a year?" Trevor asked.

"Well think about Trev Mr. Rossi finds out he has a daughter and she gets kidnapped, loses her memory and she's in high school. He always has to worry about her. Dad's are like that. You remember my dad when my sister Anne was in high school. He never let her go out to parties or hang out with boys alone. At least he had my mom to look to." Paul pointed out.

"Yeah Stella's old man is a single parent so he's kinda on his own." Jimmy said.

"Remember when you got your dog Hoppy?" Trevor nodded.

"Remember how much fun you had with Hoppy and then when he went missing. You barely slept while he was gone." Stella told him. 

"Okay I see what you mean. You're your dad's only kid. His only girl at that." Trevor said.

"If I ever have a daughter I'm never letting her out of my house." The three boys said at the same time.

"Idiots." Stella said shaking her head.

~.o0o.~

Stella got off the plane and went to baggage claim. "Got everything okay?" Stella whipped around to see Dave standing behind her. "Hey Dad."

"Have fun?"

"Loads of it. I got 200 bucks for that gig." She smiled.

"Good." Dave said.

"What's wrong with you old man?" Stella asked.

"Nothing is wrong Stella. I just got back from a case. Almost didn't make it in time to pick you up." He said. Stella kissed her father's cheek. "I'll cook tonight." Stella told him.

Stella and Dave spent the night on the couch watching a movie and eating dinner. Stella told her Father about her trip up north. The next day she was old the door and over to Kelly's to hang out with her friend. Stella managed to record their playing and brought it back so Kelly could listen to it. She couldn't believe Stella had the voice she did. Dave could either when he heard the song.

"So did you have fun on your trip?" Reilly asked.

"Yeah. Played some great music. Was happy to go but glad to be back home. I think I missed this place more then I missed Vermont when I first got here." Stella said.

"I know how you feel. I missed Newcastle when I first got here but when I went back to stay with my Aunt and uncle for a bit I was happy but I was happier to be back here." Reilly told her.

"I want to go to England. No I want to see the world." Stella said. 

"I have no doubt in my mind that you won't. You and Kelly both seem like that types who could backpack it across Europe." Reilly joked.

"Don't put the idea in my head. I just might take it to heart and go with it. Then my father will be upset with you." Stella laughed. 

"You are adventurous for a girl. I like it." Reilly smiled at her.

The next day Stella looked at Kelly.

*Why the deuce do you keep looking at me like that?

@Wanna go on a backpacking trip through Europe?

*Is that what you think about when you stare into space?

@No. But do you?

*Sure.


	23. Senior Year

Tick tock tick tock tick tock

Stella's Forehead connected with her desk as she sat in class feeling like her brain was going to implode any second. Why the hell did she put trig on her schedule for the year?

Because it would look good on your application.

"What did I get myself into?" She whine as she looked up at the bored again and let her forehead smack the wood again.

"Is there a problem Ms. Rossi?"

Stella gave her teacher a thumps up. Now would be a good time to be at home with Mudgie reading a book but no she was sitting in Trig ready to claw her brains out on a Thursday. The bell rang finally. Stella berated herself all the way to her locker. She could have taken advance music but no she took trig like a moron and was paying for it.

"You look about as tired a I feel." Reilly grinned as he appeared next to her. "You have no idea. I was up till 2am doing my trig homework. I had to get up at six so I could get ready for school. My brain is ready to implode."

Reilly chuckled. "Glad you find my suffering funny." Stella smirked as they trudged off to class.

"Tell us where she is." Rossi drilled into the suspect.

"I don't know." It had been the same thing for the pass two hours as everyone on the team tried to break the man down.

"Leaving the interrogation room with a sigh Rossi looked at the team and shook his head. Hotch had tried and failed either the man was just that heartless or he just didn't know.

"Maybe he really doesn't know and we have nothing else on him so we have no choice but to let him go." Hotch said sounding slightly defeated. Letting the man go would mean driving down a dead end street in a wide truck with no turn around.

At the hotel that night Dave picked up the phone to call Stella and check on her even though she was in good hands staying with Garcia.

"Hey." The voice was tired and sleepy.

"Hey Kiddo."

"How it going with the case?"

"Don't get me started. How's the Trig coming along?"

"Shoot me now. If you love me you will put me out of my misery. Dad my brain hurts so bad right now you have no idea." Stella whined into the phone.

"That bad kiddo?"

"My brain is going to implode. What the heck was I thinking we I signed up for this class. I could have taken advanced music but no I took freaking Trig like a bloody moron." Dave pulled the phone away from his ear for a second as his daughter continued to rant on about what she'd done.

"And whip the smile off your face this isn't funny." She said.

"The case is no better the guy wouldn't talk he gave us the same answer we had to let him go because we have nothing else that points him in the direction of being the suspect."

"Why couldn't Trig be like profiling it's easier." Stella stated.

"You got a test tomorrow don't you?"

"Yup but tomorrow's still going to be a good night I'm going over Kelly's and we're watching the season start of Supernatural." Stella told him.

Dave wasn't going to ask about the show all he knew was that every Friday night from 9 to 10 Kelly and Stella were glued to the TV from September to May. "I'm gonna get back to the books for this test. You should try a little harder to break the guy down. Get under his skin a bit more. They always talk." Stella noted.

"I'll remember that. Good luck Stella."

"Night Dad."

"Night."

The next morning both Rossies would wake up at their respective times. When Stella finally got to her Trig class she sat down and looked at the test. It was a jumble of words, numbers, symbols and such. Stella over looked the work and thought like a profiler as she worked.

Dave thought for a second He thought like Stella. He formed a plan into his head and put it into action not running it by Hotch he had two officers bring the man back in. He sat him down and twisted the man's words against him.

He gave him small bits of information not true but it made the man's shield break and give in. He'd gotten his information the same way Stella would have. By twisting things around and giving false promises.

"How did you get him to talk?" Emily asked.

"I thought like Stella." Dave shrugged.

They didn't go home till the following day the case solved and a woman going back home to her children and husband.

Dave had called ahead telling Stella what time they'd be getting in telling her he'd meet her at home. When Stella walked through the front door after work Mudgie was the first to greet her jumping up on her. Dave was in the kitchen making dinner for them.

"So the case?"

"Solved. The test?"

"B+. I treated it like a suspect used my profiling and got it done." She smiled.

"Hm. I thought like you." Dave said.

"Don't think about it to much you'll over think it and say you spend to much time with me."

"I don't spend enough time with you. How's school so far?"

"I paid for my prom ticket, cap and gown measurements are in another months the bid for that is 45, and I still have to try and drag Dean to the prom. His girlfriend broke up with him and she was cheating on him. Poor guy doesn't know what to do with him self. Other then that I'm floating through school on easy clouds." Stella smiled.

"You can't force the boy to go to the prom if he doesn't want to go. Besides isn't your prom in May?" Dave turned around leaning against the counter.

"Yeah but the sooner you get everything out of the way the cheaper it is."

"Guess I better got find my tux then." Dave smiled.

"Why do you need a tux?"

"Cause I'm going to be your date. I know what happens on prom night I was your age once."

"Yeah you were my age and a smooth talking charmer. If anything about being your daughter is I know how to watch out for boys who want nothing more then to get in my pants."

"I'm pretty sure that's what half the girls tell their fathers and still home with a bum in the oven." Dave stated.

"Dad really look at me and tell me some guy is going to talk the crazy, heavy metal listening, profiler, dad has a gun and so do his friends girl to the prom. I'm going stag as far as I know. Hear if it'll make you feel better I'm taking Kelly as my date." Stella smiled.

Dave gave her a confused look.

"What?" Stella giving him a confused look in returned.

"You know Kiddo if there's anything you want to tell me you can. I have no problem with alterative lifestyles." Dave said.

It Stella's mind a second to catch up.

"What? You think? Me and Kelly?"

"If that's what your into Stell I'll support you."

"Dad no. I'm straight."

"You don't have to lie you can tell me the truth."

"Dad I like penises."

Both stopped at that sentence.

"That sounded better in my head." Stella said not meeting her father's eyes.

"I'm going to pretend you didn't say that and we're not going to revisit this conversation again. But as of Monday I'm sending you to a convent to become a nun." Dave said.


	24. Chapter 24

"Hurry up Stell." Kelly told her friend. Kelly's speech was getting better as the days went along. They were going ready to go out to a Halloween party and Stella still wasn't ready.

"Chill out Kells we'll make it." Stella told her putting on the last of her make up. "Lets hit it." Out of Stella's rock and down the stairs they ran towards the door.

"Bye daddy."

"Wait a second there you too let me get a picture." Dave picked up his camera from the side table. Kelly and Stella had made their costumes this year. Stella was a pirate princess and Kelly was a really cute elf.

Dave snapped the picture. "Have fun girls. Be safe. Call if you need me." Dave told them.

"Will do. Bye." Stella waved before closing the door behind her.

The girls headed out the door and started down the street. The Party was two or three blocks over and the girls had been waiting for it all month. Dave could see them bouncing down the sidewalk with joy.

Dave shook his head as he headed back in.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The girls returned to the empty house a few hours later tired from all the dancing and ready to settle in and watch a movie to wind down. "Dad went out to Morgan's. Come on." Stella told Kelly guiding her up stairs so they wouldn't have to turn on the lights.

They were trying to navigate Stella's room in the dark when they heard a crash from down stairs followed by a few curse words.

Stella pulled out her phone and speed dialed her father. "What's wrong Stella?"

"I think someone is in the house." She whispered.

Dave's voice turned completely serious. "Stella you and Kelly go hide in the closet and stay there till I say otherwise. Don't make a sound and just keep me on the line. Go." Cramming them selves into the closet they waited.

The bedroom light in Stella's room popped on . They could see the shadows of feet from under the door. There was the tell tale sign a click like a lock sliding into place.

There was a pounding sound on the door and laughter. "Happy Halloween Stella!"

"Daddy!" Stella shouted.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Stella and Kelly were stuck in the closet till morning when Dave finally let them out. After a bit of sleep Stella and Kelly were headed towards the door. Stella could smell her favorite breakfast ready and waiting.

"Bribing me with breakfast isn't going to make me forgive you."

"Bye Mi'ter Rossi." Kelly waved.

"Bye Kelly."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"So she mad?" Morgan asked with a smile.

"She's pissed. She wouldn't even eat the pancakes I made this morning."

"What did you do to piss her off?" JJ asked looking between the two. They explained the whole prank to JJ and she only shook her head. "You're a terrible parent." Emily commented with a chuckle.

"What's so funny?" Hotch asked.

They explained it to Hotch who only shook his head. "Why would you help him? She's gonna be mad at you just as she will be at Dave." Hotch asked he dark skinned man.

"Cause she'll stay mad at him longer. That and I wanted payback for the jelly bit on April Fool's day." Morgan stated.

Dave made it home that day and was still home when Stella walked through the door after she got off work. "Hey Stella."

Stella signed to him.

"Oh come on Kiddo you know it was funny." Dave chuckled.

Keep telling yourself that old man.

Dave didn't see the smile on Stella's face as she walked away. Through dinner and a bit of TV she didn't say a word and her poker face was one of the greatest. It was generally their usual Dad's home tonight evening. There was a phone call from the boys but that wasn't anything out of sorts.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning as Dave took his Shower Stella set up the rest of her payback. She had pretended to leave the house early to head for school so she could use the music room for a bit now she sat on the roof with a bucket of water and bag of flour.

Dave walked out the door to find the wheels to his car completely off with the lug nuts ready and waiting for him. "Stella!" Dave called out his daughter's name.

Was Dave headed back for the door Stella then dumped the water and lour onto her father. Dave looked up to see his daughter with a grin the size of Chine on her face. "I win Daddy. Have a nice day at work." Stella laughed.

"Rossi you okay we were about to send out a search party." Reid joked.

"Remind me never to prank me kid again."

"She take your tires off too?" Morgan asked.

"Yup."

"I'll remind you never to prank her again if you remind me never to help you prank her again."

"Deal. I just want to know where she got the ideas. I mean okay she popped the tires off my car but then as I was heading back in she first dumped water then flour on my head."

They thought for a moment before looking towards the same direction, "Garcia!"

**Author's Note:**

> I'm capping it at 30 chapters just to be on the safe side, so more or less could come or go.


End file.
